In the latest social media news, TikTok has unveiled a new feature that is essentially just a BeReal clone. BeReal, the new social media app that promotes authenticity has been gaining some popularity in recent months.
BeReal works like this: Users are invited to take a photo using the front and back camera at a random time of the day so that the photo is more authentic. Instagram announced that it was working on a similar feature, with both it and Snapchat allowing users to take photos with both cameras now.
TikTok beat both to the curb however, adding the feature that is basically just BeReal right into its platform without hesitation.
In a blog post, the company stated: “TikTok Now invites you and your friends to capture what you’re doing in the moment using your device’s front and back camera. You’ll receive a daily prompt to capture a 10-second video or a static photo to easily share what you’re up to.”
BeReal gives users a notification to post, saying “it’s time to BeReal.” TikTok does the same, with it telling users that it is “Time to Now.”
TikTok Now is available to U.S. users of the app. It has its own spot on the bottom navigation bar as well. TikTok Now may be downloadable as a standalone app in other regions as well.
When it comes to privacy–which is always a valid concern–TikTok Now has built-in features. If someone registers for a TikTok Now account under the age of 16, their account is set to private by default. Users must be 18 to share their TikTok Now posts on the Explore Feed. For users aged 13 to 15, only friends will be able to comment on posts. Even for those who are older than 18, the default setting allows only your friends to view your posts. However, you can change that setting anyways.
BeReal itself also has some privacy concerns: Those who forget to turn off their location might accidentally share everything about their location with all your friends. However, shared location is not a part of TikTok Now, according to some mockup images TikTok shared.
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Zainah Yousef
Zainah Yousef is the author of The Fallen Age Saga and specializes in gaming, social media advice, and reviews. She's been writing all her life and she probably won't stop anytime soon.
