Theory
Published in 1959, Erving Goffman discusses how individuals present themselves in various situations, and how these presentations vary based on the environment and audience that the individual is “performing to”, in his book “The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life” (Goffman, 1959). Goffman claims that people have a Front Stage, where their identity is curated and shaped for others to see, and a Back Stage, which represents the individual’s authentic and private self that is only visible to them (Barnhart, no date). Therefore, our lives are similar to a theatre performance, acted out for the impressions of others. However, in the current digital age, these stages blur, with individuals attempting to present their “authentic” self to their audience.
Instagram is a social media platform where individuals’ identities are heavily curated and edited. Users post photos, videos, and stories showcasing the highlights of their lives, often editing or enhancing them with filters to achieve a desired aesthetic. The app’s algorithm rewards the posts that fit an idealised identity by promoting them and allowing them to receive more likes and views. Therefore, Instagram is a platform that aligns with Goffman’s “Front Stage”, encouraging impression management as people display an inauthentic identity.
BeReal
On the other hand, BeReal aims to be purely authentic, displaying raw and unedited aspects of a person’s life. The app sends a notification at a random time in the day, prompting the user to take a photo within a 2-minute time frame. If this is missed, the post will show a note stating that the image was not posted during the spontaneous time limit. The photo itself features both front- and back-facing cameras, allowing users to capture their face and location simultaneously. They can then decide whether to share it with everyone on the app or just with their friends. BeReal advertises itself as a Backstage, authentic app; however, users can still manage to adjust framing or positioning to align with a Front-Stage identity. Furthermore, the platform itself decides the meaning of authenticity, which raises uncertainty about whether it truly diverges from Goffman’s theory.
Conclusion
Both Instagram and BeReal are centred around performance, either curated and aspirational or spontaneous. Through Goffman’s perspective, both apps require the individual to shape themselves in order to align with their audience’s expectations and reactions, while also fitting a preconceived idea and standard for the platform they are using.
References
Barnhart, A.D. (no date) Erving Goffman: The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Available at: https://web.pdx.edu/~tothm/theory/Presentation%20of%20Self.htm (Accessed: 3 November 2025).
Curry, D. (2022) ‘BeReal pulls ahead of Instagram in US weekly downloads’, Business of Apps, 1 September. Available at: https://www.businessofapps.com/news/bereal-pulls-ahead-instagram-in-weekly-downloads/ (Accessed: 3 November 2025).
Goffman, E. (1959) The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. London: Penguin.
Hutchinson, A. (2025) Instagram Adds Native Support for 3:4 Images | Social Media Today. Available at: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-adds-support-phone-camera-aspect-ratio-images/749205/ (Accessed: 3 November 2025).
MoversShakers (17/08) How to Use BeReal, Movers+Shakers | Connecting Brands to Culture | Driving Brand Love | Creative Agency. Available at: https://moversshakers.co/the-playlist/how-to-use-bereal (Accessed: 3 November 2025).
