Is BeReal Safe for Kids? A Comprehensive Guide for Parents

"My daughter wants to get this app, and I'm a little hesitant. I can't find much info on it, but it claims it's 12+. Anyone have any insight on what it is? Looks like it's similar to Snapchat?" --From Reddit

BeReal was launched in January 2022 and quickly became popular for its focus on authenticity, especially among Generation Z. In 2022, it topped the charts for more days than TikTok. Although its active user growth has slowed in the past 1-2 years, on June 11th of this year, the top mobile game company Voodoo still spent 500 million euros to acquire BeReal.

What is BeReal, and why does your child want to get it? Is it safe for kids? We will provide a comprehensive review to help you make a better decision.

What Is BeReal

BeReal is a social media app designed to promote authenticity. It encourags users to share unedited, real-time photos. Each day, users receive a random notification. It prompts them to take a photo using both the front and back cameras within two minutes. This approach aims to capture genuine and everyday moments. It fosters a more authentic connection with friends and family.

Once shared, it will push your BeReals to your friends who have also shared a BeReal during that day. BeReal does not have likes or comments. Instead, it uses "RealMojis," where users can respond to friends' posts by taking photos of their expressions. Additionally, users can choose to share their location and view friends' locations through a map. The feature is similar to Snapchat, but is optional.

Why BeReal Is Popular among Kids?

BeReal is popular among Gen Z especial teens for two main reasons.

Let Go of the Facade and Show Your True Self

Unlike the polished images on Instagram, BeReal mostly features unfiltered, daily looks and casual settings. It captures spontaneous moments in your life without requiring much effort. This seemingly
"plain" authenticity resonates more with users, sparking empathy and a stronger desire to express themselves.

BeReal doesn't have likes or followers. To interact with friends, you can use the RealMojis feature to send personalized emoji reactions. It adds a "face-to-face" feel to interactions, making responses more direct and personal.

Get Back to the Essence of Socializing

American social psychologist Leon Festinger's social comparison theory suggests that people tend to compare themselves with others to evaluate their own beliefs and abilities. The pursuit of perfection on social media has become a source of stress, and Gen Z is tired of endless "pretending."

Unlike the "Truman Show" world of Instagram, BeReal aims to create a social environment without comparison or competition. Life is made up of many small, unnoticed moments, and realizing this helps avoid wasting time on unnecessary comparisons. By not focusing on personal influence, BeReal returns to the true essence of social interaction.

Is BeReal Safe for Kids? Full Review for Parents

Although the idea of unfiltered authenticity has its appeal, it also raises safety concerns, especially for young people. In this section, we'll explore some critical potential risks associated with this app. Let's get right into it.

1FOMO Mechanism

Every day, BeReal users receive a notification at a random time. Once the phone's notification light starts flashing, they have two minutes to show their true selves to friends. However, users often feel unhappy if they miss the upload window.

If users are busy with real-life activities and miss the BeReal notification, posting after the time limit results in a "late" tag. It raises the question: should maintaining online authenticity disrupt real-life authenticity?

2Distraction and Addiction

To avoid missing the random notifications, some kids constantly check their phones. It turns into a daily task with a game-like quality, affecting daily life and studies. Users can't see friends' posts unless they share their own, which can be addictive. Initially, BeReal allowed one photo per day, but now users can post 1-5 bonus photos, increasing usage time.

According to Voodoo CEO Alexandre Yazdi, BeReal plans to monetize through ads and expand its active user base. It likely means adding content or features (possibly Voodoo's mini-games) to boost user engagement and retention.

3Lack of Content Moderation

BeReal leaves no room for filtered content and lacks strict content moderation. It allows users to see what friends of friends shared, which potentially exposes children to age-inappropriate sights and languages from people with bad intentions. Besides, unlike other social apps, BeReal offers no control over what children see. Of course, older teenagers might be able to navigate the platform better, but younger children are mostly unprepared for unexpected happenstances.

Additionally, two of the interaction features of BeReal are reactions and comments, which have no moderation. It makes them a good place for harassment and cyberbullying, like other social apps. Negativity and hurtful comments can significantly affect a child's well-being and self-esteem.

4Privacy Risks

BeReal collects user data, including location and personal information. Although location sharing is no longer the default when posting photos, users can still enable it manually. It means a child's location could be exposed to strangers through "friends of friends" or Discover.

The app allows interaction with friends, friends of friends, or other brands and influencers, increasing potential risks. If facial information from the front camera is exposed to strangers, especially online predators, the risk is heightened.

5Targeted Advertising

After being acquired by Voodoo, the top mini-game player, more paid ads appeared in the friend feed. The website clearly shows its main active users are Gen Z. Daily sharing may lead to targeted ads, encouraging impulsive buying and potentially fostering poor spending habits.

6No Age Verification or Parental Controls

Although BeReal's suggested age in app stores is 12 and up, it doesn't implement age verification. It could expose inappropriate content to children of certain ages.

What's more, the app currently does not have built-in features like restricted mode or parental controls. In other words, parents cannot directly limit their kids' interactions or filter their content on the app. What does this mean? Parents must be vigilant and take proactive measures to protect their kids' online experiences.

Should I Let My Kids Use BeReal?

From the above analysis, it is not difficult to see that BeReal has potential risks in many areas. However, suppose you can ensure that your children only add people they know in the real world as friends and only share pictures with them. In that case, it is relatively safe compared to other social applications.

As some users mentioned on Reddit, Bereal can keep them in touch but won't spend too much time.

Besides, the feature to only show today's post is helpful when considering the harm social media can cause.

You should also discuss the potential risks of using BeReal with your child. Highlight the importance of online safety practices, such as thinking before sharing, respecting others, blocking harmful users, and reporting negative experiences online.

If you are still worried, you may use parental control apps like AirDroid Parental Control to make sure everything is within your control.

One of the features of AirDroid is the App Time Limits. This feature lets you set specific time limits for different app usage on your child's phone, including BeReal usage. With this, you can prevent excessive screen time and promote healthy digital habits in your child.

Another exceptional feature is that it will sync BeReal notifications so that you can know more about your child's activities, such as who is sharing photos or what they are chatting about.

What's more, you can use Screen Mirroring, which lets you monitor your kid's phone screen remotely in real-time. So, you can discreetly view the content they interact with on BeReal, ensuring timely intervention.

Final Thoughts

By combining privacy awareness, open communication, and parental control apps, you can guide your child through responsible usage of BeReal and other social media apps. While this post offers a fundamental guide, you must adapt these strategies to the unique needs and maturity level of your child for effectiveness.