The rise and fall of BeReal: Values of and motivations for (dis)engagement with authenticity-promoting social media.

Abstract

Social media has long facilitated self-presentation, but the tension between authenticity and performativity remains. BeReal, launched in 2020, promised a more ‘authentic’ experience by requiring users to share unedited, real-time images. This study examines the platform’s perceived value, its initial appeal, and subsequent decline in user engagement. Through a large-scale qualitative survey (N=333), we present motivations for (dis)engagement, revealing a trajectory of enthusiasm, scepticism, and eventual disinterest. Participants valued BeReal for fostering social connection and serving as a digital memory archive. However, growing cynicism about authenticity—along with increasing performative behaviours and feature creep—diminished its appeal. Applying Ng’s (2020) post-adoption model we map users’ transition from adoption to discontinuance, situating BeReal’s decline within broader trends of social media fatigue. Our findings contribute to debates on ethical social media design, performative authenticity and user disengagement, providing insight into the ephemeral nature of digital platforms.