"Sharing, Not Showing Off": How BeReal Approaches Authentic Self-Presentation on Social Media Through Its Design

Abstract: Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the pressures created by social media, such as heightened self-consciousness and the need for extensive self-presentation. In this study, we investigate how BeReal, a social media platform designed to counter some of these pressures, influences adolescents' self-presentation behaviors. We interviewed 29 users aged 13-18 to understand their experiences with BeReal. We found that BeReal's design focuses on spontaneous sharing, including randomly timed daily notifications and reciprocal posting, discourages staged posts, encourages careful curation of the audience, and reduces pressure on self-presentation. The space created by BeReal offers benefits such as validating an unfiltered life and reframing social comparison, but its approach to self-presentation is sometimes perceived as limited or unappealing and, at times, even toxic. Drawing on this empirical data, we propose design guidelines for platforms that support authentic self-presentation while fostering reciprocity and expanding beyond spontaneous photo-sharing. These guidelines aim to enable users to portray themselves more comprehensively and accurately, ultimately supporting teens' developmental needs, particularly in building authentic relationships.

• The paper shows that BeReal's design, with random notifications and non-modifiable posts, effectively counters curated self-presentation among adolescents.
• It employs qualitative methods to reveal that spontaneous sharing reduces social comparison and validates everyday life, while also risking toxic authenticity.
• The study introduces the Social Media Self-Presentation Matrix and offers design recommendations to balance automatic and controlled self-expression.

An Examination of BeReal's Design for Authentic Self-Presentation

"Sharing, Not Showing Off": How BeReal Approaches Authentic Self-Presentation on Social Media Through Its Design is a comprehensive study conducted by JaeWon Kim et al. that rigorously examines how BeReal—a social media platform designed to combat the inauthenticity often prevalent on other platforms—facilitates authentic self-presentation among adolescents. This research is crucial given the increasing reliance of teenagers on social media for social interactions and the potential adverse effects of these platforms on their mental health and identity formation.

Key Findings and Contributions

Design Features that Encourage Authenticity

The paper elucidates how BeReal’s unique design elements such as randomly timed notifications, ephemeral posts, non-modifiable content, and Realmojis encourage users to share spontaneous, unfiltered snapshots of their daily lives. These features collectively discourage the strategic self-presentation that is common on platforms like Instagram. The participants in the study, aged 13-18, reported that these aspects of BeReal’s design reduced the pressure to curate content, thereby fostering a more authentic online environment.

Perceived Benefits and Limitations

Participants viewed BeReal’s approach favorably, noting that it validated everyday life and reframed social comparison, thus acting as a countermeasure to the highly curated, often unattainable standards seen on other platforms. However, they also pointed out certain limitations. Some felt that the platform's emphasis on unfiltered self-presentation could sometimes result in "toxic authenticity," where users felt coerced into sharing at inopportune moments or faced judgment for not being "authentically authentic". Additionally, the simplicity and minimalism of BeReal were highlighted as both a strength and a potential drawback, the latter due to user boredom and the perception that the platform offered an overly prescriptive form of authenticity.

Implications for Social Media Design

Theoretical implications drawn from BeReal's design underscore the complex interplay between automatic and controlled processes of self-presentation. The researchers constructed the Social Media Self-Presentation Matrix (SMSM) to categorize self-presentation goals—ranging from self-expressive to self-enhancing—and the cognitive effort involved, from automatic to controlled. The paper suggests a potential design opportunity for social media to support "controlled, self-expressive" self-presentation, which would balance deliberate self-portrayal with the authenticity that BeReal seeks to enforce.

Practical and Theoretical Implications

Design Recommendations

Based on their findings, the authors propose several design recommendations to enhance authentic self-presentation on social media:

1. Support Accurate Self-Presentation: Allow users more time and various modes to authentically express themselves, encompassing both automatic and deliberate self-presentation processes.
2. Provide Air Cover for Audience Management: Protect users' cognitive resources by making audience management simpler and less taxing, enabling more automatic and genuine interactions.
3. Scaffold Reciprocal Sharing: Normalize mutual disclosure through design elements such as daily prompts or missions that encourage broader and deeper self-disclosure.
4. Prevent Weaponized Authenticity: Avoid features that quantify authenticity (e.g., retake counters), as these can lead to competitive or judgmental behaviors among users.

Speculative Future Developments in AI

Given the evolving nature of social media and AI, future developments might involve AI-driven tools that personalize the sharing experience to balance authenticity and user comfort. AI could be used to provide real-time feedback or suggestions to help users feel more at ease with sharing spontaneous content that genuine represents their daily lives. Additionally, machine learning algorithms could be employed to detect and mitigate toxic behaviors, ensuring that the platform remains a safe space for all users.

Conclusion

Overall, the study conducted by JaeWon Kim et al. provides a nuanced understanding of how design influences self-presentation on social media. By leveraging qualitative data from a diverse group of adolescents, the researchers offer valuable insights into how platforms like BeReal can promote more authentic and supportive online interactions. Their findings have practical implications for designing future social media applications that more effectively balance the complexities of modern online interactions with the developmental needs of the youth.