Maybe it’s because people want those 15 minutes of fame. Or, maybe it’s because we, as a society in general, love to watch what other people do.

Either way, we tend to be fascinated with what other people do whether it’s through television reality shows or social media sites like Instagram or SnapChat. Many of us also want an audience that we can call our own. If that sounds like you, you might enjoy a new app called YouNow.

The YouNow Story

YouNow actually launched back in 2012. Like many new apps, the concept of YouNow didn’t really take off until earlier this year when the app suddenly went viral for no apparent reason (as apps tend to do). What is YouNow?

Basically, it’s an app that lets you, or anyone, record what you do all day long. While you’re recording things like brushing your teeth or sleeping, people that you don’t know in the least can watch you. Thousands of people.

The more people that watch you, the more money you make. YouNow sends a cut of profits made from sales of virtual gifts to users. So, you could make enough money to pay your bills if what you’re streaming is interesting enough. What makes something interesting enough to warrant a good amount of money? Well, that’s hard to figure out. Some videos feature people sleeping and cooking while others feature people that partied too hard the night before. What viewers will actually like is anyone’s guess.

Setting It Up

It’s free to download the YouNow app to your iOS or Android device. Whether or not you become popular is all up to you. All you really have to do is set up your phone or tablet, and start recording your everyday actions. You can make jokes, do funny things, or just let people see what a day in the life of you is like. Any way that you slice it, YouNow is what you make of it. But, it’s also odd.

It’s hard to see this app being popular for a long time. Some people that are true voyeurs might stick around for a long time to see what you do and where this app is going, but YouNow seems to be enjoying its day in the sun right now. Fans of user accounts can send in comments to each video, and some users have reported connecting with those fans in real life - not entirely recommended, though, just in case someone that’s watching you is, you know, a stalker.

Basic Rules and Privacy

YouNow claims that they take user privacy very seriously, but it’s hard to gauge how private user lives really are when videos depicting every moment of that life are ready to watch at any time. Anyone watching a video can pick up on subtle things like where someone lives or where they hang out just based on a video.

YouNow also eliminates and removes any obscene or overly sexual content, so keep that in mind. Want your fifteen minutes of app fame? Check out YouNow.