BeReal's safety for kids is not absolute and largely depends on how the application is used and the measures taken to manage its features. While BeReal, like many social media platforms, presents potential risks in various areas, it can be considered relatively safe compared to other social applications under specific, managed conditions.
Understanding BeReal's Safety for Young Users
The core of BeReal's safety for children hinges on the user's behavior and parental oversight. For the platform to be deemed safer, two critical conditions must be met:
- Limited Friend Circles: Children should only add people they know in the real world as friends on the app. This significantly reduces the risk of interacting with strangers or unfamiliar individuals.
- Controlled Sharing: It is vital that children only share pictures and content with this trusted circle of real-life friends, rather than making posts public on the "Discovery" feed.
When these conditions are strictly followed, the platform's safety profile improves considerably, making it a more contained environment compared to other social media platforms with broader public interaction features.
Potential Risks and Mitigation Strategies
Despite its unique design, BeReal is not entirely without risks for young users. However, many of these can be effectively managed with informed choices and active parental guidance.
Here's a breakdown of common concerns and how they can be addressed:
| Potential Risk | Mitigation Strategy |
|---|---|
| Interacting with Strangers | Encourage children to only add real-life friends they know. |
| Unintended Public Sharing | Ensure children share photos only with their friends, not on the public "Discovery" feed. |
| Privacy Concerns (Location Sharing) | Disable location sharing in the app's settings. |
| Exposure to Inappropriate Content (Discovery) | Instruct children to avoid or limit time on the "Discovery" feed, or use parental monitoring tools. |
| Cyberbullying or Peer Pressure | Foster open communication about online interactions and encourage reporting any negative experiences. |
Key Considerations for Parents
To maximize BeReal's safety for your child, consider implementing the following practices:
- Open Communication: Talk to your children about online safety, privacy, and responsible social media use. Discuss the importance of only connecting with people they know in person.
- Privacy Settings: Help your child adjust their BeReal privacy settings. This includes turning off location sharing and ensuring their "Discovery" posts are off, so content is only visible to their added friends.
- Friend List Management: Regularly review their friend list with them to ensure it only includes trusted individuals.
- Content Awareness: Discuss what kind of content is appropriate to share and remind them that once something is posted online, it's difficult to remove entirely.
- Set Boundaries: Establish clear rules regarding screen time and app usage.
- Parental Monitoring Tools: Consider using parental control apps that can help monitor app usage, manage screen time, and even block certain content or features if necessary. For further guidance on parental controls and app safety, resources like Airdroid provide detailed guides.
By understanding how BeReal operates and actively guiding your child's usage, it's possible to create a safer experience on the platform. The emphasis remains on a controlled environment where interactions are limited to known individuals and sharing is kept private.
