What is bae-realing, the new dating trend?

**SPEAKER_1** (0:04)
What is Bayreeling? The new dating trend. Thanks for asking.
Ever since social media came along, dating trends have evolved constantly. They tend to reflect changes in society too. In previous episodes of Do You Really Know, we've talked about dawn dating, sneeting and ghosting, for example. There are so many different terms out there, and not all of them are positive. Here's another you may have heard of recently, in particular if you're single and use dating apps, Bayreeling. You might have started to feel like all these manufactured dates aren't natural, that they're unwholesome. If that's the case, you may well be seduced by the authenticity of Bayreeling. It's been called a breath of fresh air by Stylist magazine.
Where does the name come from? It's a reference to social media app Be Real, which was created in France in 2020 and has skyrocketed in popularity in recent months. According to Indie 100, the platform has 21.6 million active monthly users.
Once per day, all users get a notification telling them they have two minutes to create a post. If they want to post, they must use simultaneous photos taken from the front and back cameras of their smartphone. What's more, other users can see how many times someone retook their pics. That's right, there's a lot of rules. Like it or not, the idea is to focus on sharing a more realistic view of people's lives, rather than the unattainable highlights we're used to seeing on Instagram and other social networks. And that's where dating site PlentyofFish took inspiration from when coining the term Bayreeling for the dating world. It's all about posting honest, authentic pictures, rather than desperately trying to impress potential suitors with staged photos.
It might be tempting to show off a curated version of you, and using a candid, upfront style does leave you vulnerable to some extent. But in the long run, it will allow you to match with and meet people who you're most compatible with.
You won't end up wasting time and energy on superficial arrangements either. Why has Bayreeling become a trend now? Dating specialists put it largely down to the COVID-19 pandemic. It forced us to stay home, where we didn't need to scrub up to impress anyone. It also caused us to reassess our priorities in life. A study by PlentyofFish found that 69% of singles had used photo filters on dating apps in the past, but now 74% are comfortable posting unfiltered photos. Dating fatigue is also partly responsible. A lot of singletons have just had it up to here with toxic dates they've met online. So often, the reality doesn't live up to expectations caused by seeing someone's curated profile. If you like the sound of the idea, the best way to start is to go through your profile, removing any photos or posts that don't represent the real you. There you have it.
Now you know what Bayreeling is. In under three minutes, we answer your questions and help you understand the true meaning behind the trends, concepts and acronyms that are making headlines. Listen along and you will really know it for sure.