Audiences are sick of the ‘perfect social media persona’, and BeReal’s recent exponential growth proves it. Both content consumers and producers alike are growing increasingly tired of the artificial and disingenuous nature of profile-based social media platforms (such as Instagram and Facebook) and are beginning to gravitate to other services. BeReal offers an innovative and authentic escape from this environment the likes of which aren’t found in any other app… right?
Well, though certainly popular, I argue that BeReal is far from the first of its kind. Rather, we’ve actually already seen this authenticity dominate the market – doing so in the form of Snapchat. Bear with me.
Snapchat is a bit of an interesting addition to the social media ecosphere. With so many options out there, it’s surprising that Snapchat sees nearly 347 million daily users – myself being one of them. So, why is the platform so popular? Well, it lies in its ability to enable individuals to depict an authentic sense of self.
The platform, developed in 2011, places focus on instant messaging – but not in the way of iMessage or Whatsapp. Rather, Snapchat centres around cameras, a piece of tech that (at the time of release) was slowly but surely being adopted by nearly every mobile device. This early implementation of ‘photo messaging’, played a crucial role in appealing to its user base. As suggested by Piwek & Joinson (2016) the app encouraged spontaneity, with Snapchat’s signature ‘self-destructive’ functionality meaning users could risk sharing imperfect content. There’s a reason so many Snapchats are of someone’s double chin, as there’s very little risk of it being publicised – especially in comparison to other social medias. Similarly, its flawless integration of the camera was another key to its success. Photo-taking isn’t simply a feature but rather its primary use. Sure, individuals could text without it, however unlike other messaging apps, taking photos is encouraged – with the process feeling smooth and instantaneous (unlike its competitors).
Furthering this, the vernacular of the platform plays a crucial role in how users present themselves on Snapchat. As theorised by Meese (2016), platform-dependent conventions emerge within user populations and vary from service to service. Effectively, in the minds of many, Snapchat is built to be relaxed. One doesn’t need to curate themselves or their presence as they would Instagram and Facebook – because everyone understands ‘how the platform should be used’.
However, this was the 2010’s and, though this sense of authenticity was key to Snapchat’s early life – the novelty of the platform wore off over time. As the service has become more and more mainstream, the app has transitioned from targeting Gen Z and Millenials (the majority of the app’s users), and rather is looking to offer itself to everyone. We can see this more and more, with Snapchats newfound development as a web app being a prime example. This isn’t to say the platform has become worse, but rather is simply looking to cement its place in the market as an international, free and fully accessible messaging app.
Snapchat is a truly unique example of how we as individuals present ourselves online. It highlights not only our acute understanding of platform vernacular but how our sense of self differs across platforms. However, though this may be a key component to the growth of the platform, as Snapchat begins to become ever mainstream it may also come to be its downfall.
