Even though many people thought the BeReal app was a passing fad, it has yet to fade. Millions of active users share their day with this social app daily. I won’t deny that it is more popular among younger audiences. You will hardly find people your age on this app if you’re in your late 20s or early 30s. Even though this app caters to a younger audience, many parents wonder, “Is BeReal app safe for their kids.”
Keeping up with tech and all the new apps can be exhausting for parents. If you’re technically illiterate, keeping your kid safe online becomes tricky. I mean, even if you don’t know what’s dangerous and what’s okay for your child. So, if you’re on the edge about the BeReal app for your kids, let’s discuss its suitability for them.
What is BeReal app? Why is BeReal app popular?
Consider BeReal app as a photo-sharing application that lets you share your real life with your friends without excessive filters. Up till now, people used social media to share their best moments and all the glamour going on in their lives.
However, with BeReal, you will get a notification that asks you to share a picture within a 2-minute timer. You’ll have 120 seconds to share a picture with your circle, and it will use both the back and the front camera.
Until you take and share your picture, you cannot see what your friends are doing. In this manner, BeReal presents a realistic picture of your day with your friends and family. You won’t have much control over only sharing the best highlights of your day.
BeReal’s unique concept of minimal filters and random photo timers is what makes it so popular. This concept allows people to create a deeper connection with their friends. Instead of only sharing the best moments of your day, you can see and share the boring parts of your life. This sharing will also improve your connection with your friends, and you’ll have more to talk about at your next meetup.
On the other side, if you have a boring or depressing life, it can be a letdown to use BeReal. You’ll only feel worse after you see that even the boring parts of your friends’ lives are better than your life. So, keep that in mind if you’re skeptical about using BeReal. It will undoubtedly give you a better insight, but you might not like the better insights.
What are the benefits and risks of BeReal?
Now that you have a rough idea about what BeReal is let’s cover its pros and cons for your kids. Depending upon your kid’s age, you can make a suitable decision on whether or not they should be allowed on this app.
Benefits
- It offers a realistic picture of whatever is going on in your friend’s lives.
- All accounts are private from the get-go.
- You only have to share one picture each day.
- No emphasis on likes and shares.
The best thing about the BeReal app is that it will help your kid understand that everybody has somewhat of a similar boring life. They can’t expect constant glamour and highlights from their day. Sometimes, life can be boring, and it is okay! You’ll surely see an improvement in your kid’s self-esteem if they use this app to connect with their friends.
On the other hand, these benefits do come at a cost. You can’t just look at the upside and decide that your kid should be left on this app. So, go through this list of risks associated with BeReal.
Risks
- Oversharing with new friends.
- Location access to all friends.
- Pressure to share a picture at inappropriate times.
- Possibility of provocative pictures.
In my opinion, the risks can outweigh the benefits for some parents. If your kid is young or struggles to make friends, he will be more keen to experiment with BeReal. This situation can make your kid an easy target for predators. So, you can’t just leave your kid unattended on this application.
Is BeReal app safe for kids?
The answer here can’t be a simple yes or a no. Instead, you’ll need to consider many factors, like your child’s age, their circle, and your ability to monitor their behavior.
Personally, I don’t think that BeReal app is safe for kids. There are just too many predators and groomers on this app. Even if your kid can potentially benefit from the social interactions on this app, the risks far outweigh the advantages. You won’t be able to protect your kids’ innocence easily if they are left alone on BeReal. Here is why I don’t think that BeReal is safe for kids.
- Limited content regulation by the app
- Excess of predators and strangers
- Lack of parental control features
- Location-sharing features accompanying the BeReal content
However, I also understand that each household is different. So, you’ll have to make the final call after considering the positive and negative sides of BeReal for your kids.
On the positive side, BeReal can help your kid understand that social apps can be deceiving. Your kid will understand that their friends can also get bored with their life. Everyone has days when life can be just “normal.” Moreover, your kids won’t get insecure every time they see an update or a highlight from their friends. Instead, they will recognize that people only show the best parts of their lives while hiding the boring sections. So, it is safe and even beneficial to let your kids use the BeReal app if you can monitor their activities.
On the other hand, if you’re unsure how to monitor your kids on BeReal, it can become a dangerous app. Even though the accounts are all set to private from the get-go, your kid might add a friend that you don’t approve of. This friend can easily share inappropriate pictures with your kid. BeReal doesn’t check content that is shared among friends. So, if you are not confident in your ability to monitor your child, then the BeReal app might not be the optimal pick for your kid.
Should I let my kid have BeReal?
Whether or not you should let your kid have BeReal will depend on your kid’s age and your ability to control them. If you have a healthy relationship with your child and they are over 13, then you can let them use BeReal. However, even in this situation, you should educate them about how to use the app and the possible risks.
On the other hand, if your kid is under 13, then there is no point in letting them on this app. Similarly, if you think that your child is not yet ready to tackle online dangers, then the safer thing is to keep them away from social apps. It all comes down to how you’re planning on raising your kids.
Is BeReal spyware?
No, BeReal is a legit application that is used by millions of users across the globe. Even though some features within this app can seem sketchy, the app itself doesn’t share your data. You’ll have complete control over your profile and how you want to share your pictures with friends. So, don’t worry about BeReal stealing and selling your data online.
You can further adjust the app’s privacy by customizing the privacy controls. I know the pressure to take a picture within 2 minutes can seem weird, but that doesn’t mean you’re forced to share your day. If you’re uncomfortable sharing your day, just ignore the notification. BeReal is not a spy app, and it respects your privacy as a user. You can further familiarize yourself with this app’s privacy by reading the privacy policy.
How do you keep your kids safe on BeReal?
If you decide that your kid should be on BeReal, then there are a few things you should monitor. You can’t just let them do as they please on this app. So, keep track of the following tips to keep your kids safe on BeReal.
Educate your kids: Before you start monitoring your kids, ensure they understand the issue. You need to tell them about online predators and how these individuals exploit young children. Moreover, you need to guide them about online privacy and limiting interactions with strangers.
Enabling the “Friend Only” mode: Kids can often mess about in the settings and turn off the friend-only mode in the privacy features. You must ensure your kid can only send pictures to their friends. Moreover, you need to also check their friend list to make sure that no adult or stranger is present in this list.
Turning off location sharing: Knowing your kids can share location with random guys or friends can be scary. So, turning these features off will give you some peace of mind while also protecting your kid.
Use parental control apps: Options like FlashGet Kids are great when you want to keep an eye on your child. You will be able to monitor app usage, implement screen time limits, and even see whatever is going on your kid’s screen with FlashGet Kids. Moreover, you can restrict app permissions with this tool. So you won’t have to worry about your kids’ privacy.
FAQs
Is BeReal safe for 12-year-olds?
No, it lacks parental controls and is intended for users older than 13. So, you shouldn’t allow your 12 year old on this application.
Can strangers see my BeReal?
Yes, if you publicly share your BeReal photo, strangers can see it from anywhere. So, check your privacy settings to “friends-only” if you don’t wish to share your BeReal publicly.
Does BeReal keep your photos?
While it is unclear how long your pictures are stored on the BeReal servers, your photos are deleted after 24 hours from your friends’ devices. So they won’t be able to see it after a day.
Is BeReal like Snapchat?
No, BeReal lacks the communication features and interaction necessary to compare it to SnapChat. Moreover, you can only share photos once every day at times dictated by the application.
