What Is TikTok Now? Imitation Is Supposedly the Sincerest Form of Flattery

Achieving perceived youthfulness in this technology-driven, social media-obsessed dystopia we call Western society is an exhausting feat. To stay relevant, we must imprison ourselves in the toxic swirling of post after post after post, pretending like we have it all together at every moment of the day. But it's not just us social media users who feel the desperate need to stay current, the platforms themselves strive to stay on top, profiting off of each other's ideas when they can. Too bleak?

When Snapchat first introduced Stories — a feature that allows for 24-hour only content — back in 2013, Instagram followed suit in 2016. Facebook, too, added a Stories feature to its platform in 2017. Similarly, in light of TikTok's undisputed ruling over social media, Instagram launched its Reels in 2020 and YouTube released Shorts in the same year. You get the picture. Short-form content is all the rage these days.

And though Chinese video-sharing app TikTok — boasting one billion users — is the almighty platform of the moment, a newer app is coming to steal its thunder. This is prompting TikTok to launch TikTok Now; what is it?

"TikTok Now is the newest way to be entertained and connect with others on TikTok — a daily photo and video experience to share your most authentic moments with the people who matter the most," TikTok's website details. "TikTok Now brings the authenticity of TikTok to a whole new creative experience that connects you with those closest to you."

Authenticity, in this society? We know, it sounds as bonkers as flying pigs; but one particular app has found a way to bring a bit more genuineness into our lives. That app is BeReal, and TikTok Now is essentially a clone of it.

Launching in 2020, French social media app BeReal prompts users to take one photo — using both the device's front- and backwards-facing cameras — at a random time every day. With just two minutes to snap a pic, it's difficult to fake your life. Posting in time allows users to see what their BeReal friends are up to. It's not a platform built for glamorous influencers, making it a refreshing addition to our collection of apps.

Intended to help people develop "a deeper connection," TikTok Now is eerily similar to BeReal.

Seemingly, the main difference is that BeReal is strictly for photos, while TikTok Now allows for users to choose between taking a static photo or a 10-second video. Also, TikTok Now gives users three minutes to post versus BeReal's two minutes. That's a whole extra minute you can utilize to fabricate your life! (Just kidding.)

Though TikTok is "experimenting" at the moment, TikTok Now can be accessed via the TikTok app in the U.S. In other areas of the world, however, TikTok Now may appear as an entirely new app.

Whether you're a BeReal devotee or are undeniably intrigued by TikTok's new direction, try not to overthink your posts.