Is The BeReal App Safe For Teens?
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There's a new network making a name for itself on social media, and it's a huge deal. Welcome, BeReal. Far from your typical photo-sharing platform, BeReal is different, in a good way. Founded in 2020, BeReal encourages its users to be authentic as possible. As the app continues to make waves across high school and college campuses, one can only wonder if BeReal is safe for teens.
Seventeen reached out to BeReal to discuss the need-to-know details about the app. Unlike most social media networks where you can post whenever you like, BeReal sends out a sporadic push notification once a day to announce a two-minute window for its users to "be real" by snapping a picture of what they're doing at that very moment with their front and rear-facing cameras. If BeReal users miss the original posting window, there's a timestamp that marks just how many minutes or hours late their post was. BeReal attempts to eliminate lurking by preventing users from viewing their follower's posts until they make a post of their own for the day. Even more shocking? The app doesn't feature filters or photo editing options.
Now that we know the ins and outs of navigating BeReal, it's important to discuss how safe the app is for teens. According to youth advocate and internet safety adviser Anne Collier, BeReal is designed in a way that's "safer than a lot of apps" because "it's made for sharing among friends." BeReal profiles are private by default, so "it's as safe as your social circle is," Collier adds.
When creating a BeReal, there's an option to share it solely with your followers or publicly on the Discovery Page, where it's visible to anyone on the app. There's a BeReal feature that allows users to choose if they would like to share their exact location or not. Along with keeping its users safe from stranger danger, Collier believes that BeReal could have a positive impact on mental health. Because of its post notifications, BeReal helps limit the idea of perfection. "Being real and sharing spontaneously what's going on in that moment of your life is the whole point. None of this trying to look perfect or look like you have a perfect life; it's not the point," she says.
For Collier, BeReal provides "less social comparison, less performance fatigue" and "more fun." However, it's not perfect. "BeReal's safety level depends on how people use it," Collier explained. "If someone decides to take a photo that's somehow mean to someone, that can border on harassment or cyberbullying," but BeReal features the option to block and report abusive behavior and people on the app.
Are you ready to download BeReal and start posting more authentic content with your friends near and far? Check out Collier's tips to ensure teens maintain their privacy and safety while using the BeReal app.
Monitor your location settings
As fun as social media is, it can also be dangerous. BeReal allows users to share their locations, but in a way that's safe. "If you choose to share your exact location, you can only do so privately, Collier says. "If you share your post publicly, the app gives a more general location of where you posted." No matter who you're sharing with, never publicly disclose your location until you've left.
Don't share private or personal information
Receiving a BeReal notification can be very exciting, but it's important to preserve your security when sharing on the app. "Think about what's in the frame of your images, front and back," Collier says. "For example, if you're at your front door, you might want to make sure your address isn't showing." Taking the extra steps of caution will help preserve your security and prevent your followers from finding out sensitive information.
Review BeReal's privacy policy
There's so much fun to be had when downloading the next big social media app and beginning to share things with your friends. It's easy to select yes or agree when it comes to terms, conditions, and privacy policies that pop up after you've installed and signed up for a new platform, but it's essential to understand what you're getting into. "It never hurts to check out the app's privacy policy to see what they say about what they do with your data," Collier advises. Understanding these documents can be a bit difficult because they're written in "long" legalese, so Collier suggests doing a page search for phrases like "your data," "personal data," "your information," or "data.
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