These are independent reviews of the products mentioned, but TIME receives a commission when purchases are made through affiliate links at no additional cost to the purchaser.
French social media app BeReal thwarts fussy curation by prompting users to post what they’re actually doing at a random time each day. Users have two minutes to snap both a selfie and a photo of what’s in front of them, whether they’re frying an egg or toiling over spreadsheets. The banality lends a certain intimacy that’s lacking on other platforms—and the concept has resonated. After raising a $36.6-million Series A round led by the influential VC firm Andreessen Horowitz last year, BeReal hit the top spot on the App Store’s free downloads list this summer.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- The Revolution of Yulia Navalnaya
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- What's the Deal With the Bitcoin Halving?
- If You're Dating Right Now, You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
