A number of parents question nowadays: “Is BeReal safe for 12-year-olds?” The main reason is the popularity of this app among young teens and adults. With access to every content type, many parents are concerned about privacy and security. BeReal is not like other social channels, such as Instagram and TikTok, which promote filters and encourage people to follow trends.
BeReal is all about a genuine experience without filtered sharing. It is an interesting platform that allows photo-sharing in real-time once a day. You can see that BeReal is about authenticity and not perfection. Now, let’s get back to finding the answer about its safety factor for kids.
What is BeReal?
BeReal is not a very old application. It was developed in 2020. It is a unique app that is kind of an antidote to polished social media apps. The major audience of the BeReal app is from the U.S. and Europe. This application has gained popularity among teens and adults. And do you know what the main reason behind it is? Giving value to authenticity! It requires its active users to share their real and unfiltered photos with friends in real-time. The best part is that users can enjoy sharing real moments instead of spending all their time looking for beautiful filters to make their photos look better.
Here are some key features of BeReal:
- Daily posting window of two minutes
- It includes the system of dual camera photo capture
- No editing or filters
- RealMoji reactions to react to the photos
- By default private
- There will be no advertising
Why is BeReal so popular among teens?
Today, you can see that the younger generation is getting excited about every new application. The part that excites them the most is the unpredictability of daily fun, by responding promptly and sharing their authentic stories with their friends. It creates a sense of shared experience among youngsters.
Is it the right social app for your child? Here’s what parents need to know.
How does the BeReal app work?
Using the BeReal app is very simple. Once you register an account on Bereal, the app sends a “Time to BeReal” notification to you at random times. After you get the notification within a timeframe of two minutes, you need to click and upload the picture. An interesting part is that you can take the photos both from your front and back cameras and share them with your friends.
Let’s have a quick tour of the whole steps to see how to start using BeReal:
STEP 1: Create your account
Download BeReal and follow the steps to create an account. The fields you need to enter to get an account are phone number, full name, birthday, and username. Keep on clicking the “Continue” button till the fields are filled.
Next, you will receive the code on the number you just added. Then, enter the code and continue.
STEP 2: Find your friends
The next part is optional. Check your phone contacts and add your friends to your account. Or you can click “Don’t Allow.” It will limit the BeReal app from accessing your contact lists.
STEP 3: Take the photos and post
Now, wait for the BeReal notification and be ready to take & share photos instantly.
Is Bereal safe for 12-year-olds?
The BeReal app is safe for users, but it is not for 12-year-olds. According to its age policy, the minimum age to join BeReal is 13. The online world is ever-changing, and the key is responsible use by children and proper guidance from parents.
The next thing you need to consider here is its privacy policy for a better experience. It claims that it does not share personal information with third parties and follows the strict EU and French privacy laws. The app also features location tracking. It collects the location data only when it is enabled for location tagging and friend finding.
Getting back to the concern of using BeReal by kids. The app promotes authenticity, but younger users may still encounter inappropriate content. The parents of younger users should regularly check and adjust the privacy settings. Furthermore, parents need to ensure that their kids understand the concept of responsible sharing habits.
What are the risks of BeReal for teens?
The following are some dangers and risks with BeReal that parents should know:
1. No parental control
The first risk that you can notice is that the BeReal app lacks built-in parental controls. Thus, it makes it hard to monitor the activity of teens. It can even expose teenagers to inappropriate interactions or content.
2. Lack of moderation for inappropriate content
The BeReal application does not actively moderate the posts. This means that teens may encounter explicit or harmful content. And when there are no filters or reporting systems, harmful content can spread easily.
3. Social pressure
Another significant issue is the daily posting requirement of the BeReal app. It creates unnecessary pressure to always participate. Teenagers might feel anxious when they encounter FOMO, or sometimes they may judge them for not appearing “real.”
4. Oversharing
The next challenge that parents must know about is oversharing. It can lead teenagers to post their personal moments without thinking twice. With this habit, you can see a risk of revealing sensitive information or images that they later regret.
Another problem that can be seen is with location sharing. When teenagers keep their location ON, they are unknowingly sharing their real-time whereabouts. It may put the safety of kids at risk if the information falls into the wrong hands.
Should you let your kids get BeReal?
The BeReal app offers so much fun to its users in a less-curated way. They can share their real-life moments with their friends, and this factor appeals to teens. So, parents can let their kids use BeReal. However, the use of BeReal for kids also highlights privacy concerns, location sharing, and social pressure, as we shared before. So, before you allow your child to use the BeReal app, you must consider their maturity and understanding of online safety.
Here are some main safety tips for kids to use the BeReal app:
- Keep the location sharing off in the settings
- Always keep the account private
- Only accept the people who are friends
- Discuss the appropriate content-sharing
- With time, keep an eye on their friend list and activity
Can parents monitor BeReal?
Monitoring the BeReal app can be challenging for parents. It doesn’t offer built-in parental controls. However, an essential aspect for parents is to stay active and be involved in checking their kids’ usage of this app. With open communication and the right digital boundaries, you can do your best.
Moreover, FlashGet Kids parental controls can help parents better monitor their children’s social media use, including the BeReal app. A reliable and powerful phone monitoring tool makes a difference nowadays. It allows parents to monitor what kids are watching and chatting about on their phones with excellent features. Besides, parents can set screen time limits, block risky apps, and customize content filtering for loved ones. It also helps with location tracking, remote camera/audio access, geo-fencing, and more to help parents with the best monitoring of their kids’ usage of the BeReal app.
Conclusion
Finally, you have seen that the BeReal app offers a unique and authentic experience. It encourages users to share their unfiltered moments without any filters or follower counts. The app is undoubtedly attractive to the younger generation, who are seeking real connections. However, the app still poses risks to them, like exposure to strangers or peer pressure.
So, the main answer to the question “Is BeReal safe for 12-year-olds?” is to give them the right parental guidance. The main thing is that parents need to stay informed about the app. You need to explore the app to understand more and discuss online behaviors with your kids openly.
FAQs
The answer to this question is “Yes.” The BeReal app positions itself as an “anti-social media” app. It encourages users to share their unfiltered and spontaneous photos once a day. The aim is to counteract the curated nature of traditional platforms.
Yes. The BeReal posts are private by default. These are only visible to the users’ friends. They can even choose to share their posts publicly on the Discovery timeline when posting.
No. The BeReal app does not alert users when screen recordings are made. It may vary according to the devices and app updates.
When you want to delete the BeReal account, you can follow the Profile > Settings > Other > Delete Account. You need to confirm your choice, and then the account will be scheduled for deletion in the next 15 days.
