TikTok copies Instagram's move to copy buzzy app BeReal

• TikTok announced "TikTok Now," a tool for users to share 10-second videos or a photo daily.
• The tool is similar to BeReal, an app that notifies users all at once to take and share a photo.

TikTok is launching a new tool that people quickly noticed is incredibly similar to another popular app: BeReal.

The social media platform announced on Thursday TikTok Now, a tool where users receive a daily prompt to film a 10-second video or take a photo to share what they're doing in the moment from the front and back cameras on their phone.

It's a photo-sharing concept familiar to users of BeReal, the French "anti-social media" app that also sends out a notification every day to users, giving them two minutes to share a photo from the front and back phone cameras. BeReal notifies all users at the same time, at a different time everyday.

The notifications for both apps look similar as well. BeReal's notification says, "Time to BeReal" surrounded by two caution emojis. The photo from TikTok Now's press release shows a notification that says "Time to Now" surrounded by two lightning strike emojis.

Tik Tok said it's experimenting with the tool in the coming weeks, and accessing the tool will be different for users in different countries. TikTokers in the US will be able to use the tool in the TikTok app, while the tool might be in a new app for users in other regions, TikTok said.

The circle of copying amongst big social media apps continues

Instagram was recently caught testing a similar tool for its platform called "IG Candid." A screenshot from mobile developer Alessandro Paluzzi, a self-described "leaker," shows that IG Candid also gives users two minutes to take and share a photo daily at a different time.

A spokesperson for Meta, who owns Instagram, previously confirmed with Insider that the tool is only being tested internally for now.

This is not the only time TikTok has copied another social media app's tool. The platform launched TikTok Stories in 2021, that is similar to Instagram's Story feature allowing users to make a post that disappears in 24 hours. But Instagram's Story tool was actually copied from Snapchat in 2016. And Instagram launched Instagram Reels in 2020 as a competitor to TikTok.

TikTok also addressed the safety of its teenage users in the press release for TikTok Now. For users under 16-years-old, their TikTok Now will be private by default along with their account. Users under 18-years-old are not allowed to share their TikToks on the Explore page. And users ages 13 to 15 are limited to comments only from friends.

The social media app has previously come under fire for being unsafe for younger users, and issued a child safety update in response.