SOCIAL media can feel very daunting and fake, with many users only showing an edited life that promotes a perfect life filled with riches and happiness.

Typically seen on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, the one-sided perception of life has been shown to be very harmful to those that feel they should have the same life. 

With recent studies showing 90 per cent of teenagers aged 13-17 said social media was damaging to their mental health.

However, now there's a new app that encourages users to show their real life, no matter how mundane, without filters and editing. 

As a new TikTok viral app, BeReal takes social media users by storm.

What is BeReal?

The new app works by notifying users at random times in the day to post a photo of what they are doing. 

With only two minutes to grab the photos, but don't worry you can still post after the two minutes it will just instead be branded as 'posted late'.

The photos work by taking a selfie on your front camera and another on the back camera at the same time. 

Sharing with friends your honest state and your honest activity. 

You can choose who you share the post with, given the choice of just friends or the option of everyone that uses the app and even Instagram. 

BeReal has no filters, keeping its motive of showing real people as who they really are and what they are actually doing. 

Who created BeReal?

Although created in 2019, it first came to the spotlight in 2022 after going viral on the popular video app TikTok. 

The app was created by former GoPro employee Alexis Barreyat along with his partner Kevin Perreau. 

They created BeReal in the hopes to move away from the idea of perfect edited photos and to break the stigma around the idea of a perfect life on social media.

How much is BeReal worth?

According to data from the Business Insider, BeReal is worth an estimated £526 million ($630 million). 

The Insider predicts that the company could quadruple if it continues to grow at its current rate. 

Can you delete a BeReal?

Sometimes we're not happy with the outcome of the photo so you might want to delete it, and don't worry you can. 

On the iPhone just go to the options menu under the BeReal and tap the time it was taken. 

Tap on Options and click 'Delete my BeReal'.

For Android users just click on the dot menu at the top right corner of the BeReal then just click 'Delete my BeReal'.

But you can only delete a post once a day, so use it wisely.

Does BeReal notify screenshots?

Just like other apps, BeReal does in fact notify users when another user takes a screenshot of their photos. 

The notification is done to ensure privacy whilst using the app, which includes blocking uses and being able to delete posts.

Plus with the post only viewable for a short amount of time, the intention is not to have it permanently available to followers. 

Meaning that when someone screenshots a post, the users that posted the picture can see who did it. 

You can download the BeReal app via this link.