This New App Filters Out Phoniness and Sends 4-Second Videos You Can't Review First

Do consumers crave less-fake social media—with fewer filters and "likes" and more genuine back-and-forth? Casey Neistat, one of Adweek's Creative 100 picks, thinks so and has launched a reality-minded app called Beme to prove it.

Pronounced "beam," the app is like a mix of Snapchat and Vine. According to Neistat, it is intended to strip out the inauthentic, over-stylized selfies people post on social media.

"How would I look if I were just talking to myself in the mirror? If I'm in the stands at a U2 concert watching Bono, how can I capture this moment without interrupting it and making it fake?" Neistat told The New York Times.

To record a video, users place their phone against a surface, which triggers the camera to start filming. Once a four-second clip is made, the creator cannot edit or review the post before it's sent to friends.

Instead of commenting or liking videos, users send back quick selfies of themselves reacting to clips. And once someone watches a video, it's gone forever, similar to Snapchat's short-lived messages.

So far, not a lot of brands have set up Beme accounts, but it's not hard to imagine fast-moving marketers like Starbucks and Red Bull getting on board.

Before brands go gangbusters on Beme, of course, thousands upon thousands will have to download the app. But consumer interest in similar concepts like Snapchat, Periscope and Meerkat is already there.

Check out Neistat's explainer video below: