The French application promotes a return to “authenticity” with its selfies caught on the spot and without filter. But is this new reality the antidote to “fake”?
by Pascale Krémer
Suddenly, see them stop all activity, to pride, smartphone in hand. And hearing them justify, feverish: “It’s Bereal time!” How many parents have recently observed this strange behavior in their high school or student offspring? This sudden and imperative need to take a photo on the fly? The “Biril” phenomenon – this is how it is pronounced – has burst into the daily life of families for a good year.
Invented in 2020 by Alexis Barreyat and Kévin Perreau, two young French developers, the Bereal application imposes its tempo at 20 million users worldwide, every day. Who downloaded it (free of charge) receives once a day, at a variable time, a notification. Mission is given, within two minutes, to photograph your face and immediate environment, the front and rear cameras of the phone almost triggering simultaneously. These two juxtaposed shots then become visible by a network of chosen knowledge.
“keep smiling and does not change anything,” reads the phone when taking the selfie. Unsurprisingly, the photo sharing application, whose name means “be true”, promotes authenticity – and participation, since you have to have posted your bereal to discover those of others. It banish Likes or subscribers, filters and retouching, advertisements. Houspille anyone who multiplies the shots before posting: the number of attempts is indicated under the final photo, the possible delay (compared to the two minutes of rigor) is also reported. Until the infamous message, sent to the least spontaneous users: “Did you understand what Bereal was? 13 % of your bereal were on time.”
“show Who you are really “
frightening? The cause is laudable, pleads the website of the mobile application: “discover what your friends really do in their daily lives.” “Show them who you really are.” Bereal “will not make you famous”. Besides, “If you want to become an influencer, stay on Tiktok or Instagram”. In short, on Bereal, the ordinary lives is exposed, without artifice, neither stake of influence nor risk of addiction (only one publication authorized per day), in a succession of unattractive meals, bazaar rooms, d ‘Open-scratches, keyboards, screens, dogs, cats under pale lighting.
And that pleases. Without any advertising, the use of the application exploded last year. It has been downloaded 75 million times, according to the American firm Sensor Tower – just over 77 million times since its launch, in 2020. The United States is the most fond of this return to reality (33 % of downloads ), ahead of the United Kingdom (9 %) then France (6 %). At the end of November 2022, Bereal won the price of the iPhone application of the year. It is imitated by Tiktok, Instagram or Snapchat, which emergency has drawn new features. “What is your bereal?” Raidly replace “what is your snap?” In approach maneuvers. In a group, the fuse question on all sides, at the fateful time of notification: “Does that tell you to be on my bereal?”
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