TikTok Cuts Off Its BeReal Clone, ‘TikTok Now’
BeReal, for the uninitiated, is a photo-sharing app that steps out of the traditional boundaries of social media. Unlike platforms such as Instagram or TikTok, where people vie to post the perfect picture or video for the most likes, BeReal almost forces its users to be their most authentic selves.
It does so by giving out an alert once a day and allowing just two minutes for a user to snap a photo and post it for their friends to see—no trying to get the right shot, filters, or caption about the fleeting moments of life to go along with a picture of you on a beach. Of course, such a novel idea caught the attention of many from the younger generations. BeReal gave others a realistic look into someone’s day, which was highly refreshing.
And as with almost any new form of social media that gains traction, other platforms are quick to follow. So along came TikTok Now.
TikTok is killing its BeReal clone TikTok Now pic.twitter.com/8uPn88HQV4
— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) June 27, 2023
The feature was first introduced in September, providing users with the same daily prompts; only this time, it was to capture 10-second videos that used both the front and back camera (another aspect that BeReal popularized).
However, all of this is being axed. According to the Associated Press, TikTok spokesperson Zachary Kizer mentioned using user feedback to find new ways to grow the community.
Market intelligence firm Sensor Tower reported that despite BeReal’s growth, only 9% of users use the app daily. In April, it said it had 20 million daily users.
The idea for BeReal stands as a nice break from posting perfect images, but one can see how being asked every day to post could be exhausting, especially since other platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat also have their versions constantly alerting people.
[via Associated Press and GadgetMatch, cover image via TikTok]
