We’ve spent a decade teaching kids that social media is a highlight reel. They’ve seen the "Instagram Face" trend and the pressure to look like a filtered Kardashian. BeReal is the rebellion against that.

For a middle schooler, BeReal feels like a low-stakes way to stay connected without the anxiety of "Is this grid-worthy?" It’s also a bit of a "vibe check." If everyone gets the notification while they're at home doing nothing, it normalizes the "boring" parts of life. It’s the digital equivalent of hanging out in the driveway—nothing is happening, and that’s the point.

However, there’s a catch. Kids have figured out how to "game" the authenticity. You can post "late," and many kids wait until they’re doing something "cool" (like at a concert or a party) to trigger their BeReal. It’s a bit ironic—trying to be "authentically cool" is just the same old social media pressure in a different outfit.

BeReal isn’t the only player in this space. The "authentic" trend is a massive shift in how Gen Alpha and Gen Z use tech. They’re moving away from massive public squares and toward "digital campfires"—smaller, more intimate spaces.

This is a personal favorite for parents who want a "lite" version of social media. It’s an app that puts a widget on your phone’s home screen. When a friend sends a photo, it appears directly in the widget. There’s no "Discovery" feed and no strangers. It’s just you and your inner circle.

Wait, TikTok is authentic? In a way, yes. While Instagram is for the "pretty" version of your life, TikTok is where kids go to be "weird." This is where the "Ohio" memes and "Skibidi Toilet" references live. It’s chaotic, unpolished, and feels more "real" to kids than a curated photo.

Snapchat paved the way for this by making photos ephemeral. The "Streaks" culture is still huge, but for many kids, Snapchat is just their primary texting app because it feels less permanent than an iMessage.

Check out our guide on the best first social media apps for kids

"Authentic" doesn't automatically mean "safe." In some ways, the push for authenticity can lead to more privacy slips than a curated photo would.

This is the biggest red flag on BeReal. By default, posts are usually set to "Friends Only," but there is a "Discovery" tab where users can post publicly. If your kid is scrolling the Discovery tab, they are seeing uncurated, unfiltered photos from strangers all over the world. Because the photos are "real," they can sometimes be inappropriate, revealing, or just plain weird.

BeReal has a feature that shares your exact location when you post. Because the app encourages you to post right now, it’s very easy for a kid to accidentally broadcast exactly which classroom they are in or exactly where their bedroom is located.

Since the app takes a photo of what’s in front of you and your face, it’s easy to accidentally capture sensitive information. Think: a credit card on a table, a school ID, or a younger sibling in the background who didn't consent to being on the internet.

Ask our chatbot about how to turn off location sharing on BeReal

Most social media apps, including BeReal, require users to be 13. If you have an 11-year-old begging for it, consider Locket Widget instead. It offers the same "real-time photo" fun but keeps it within a hand-picked circle of family or close friends.

This is the prime age for BeReal. If you allow it, do a "settings check" together. Make sure "Location" is turned off and the "Discovery" tab is off-limits. Talk about the "Front and Back" camera—remind them to look at what's on their desk or in the background before they hit send.

At this point, they’re likely using it to stay in touch with friends at different schools. The concern here is less about "predators" and more about "digital footprint." Even though BeReal feels "temporary," nothing on the internet ever really is. People can (and do) screenshot BeReals.

One of the weirdest parts of BeReal is the "Late" notification. If your kid posts three hours after the notification went off, the app publicly shames them by saying "posted 3 hours late."

To a parent, this seems like a non-issue. To a teenager, it’s a social signal. Posting "on time" means you’re chill and ready for anything. Posting "late" might mean you were trying too hard to wait until you were doing something cool. It’s a new flavor of social anxiety that we didn't have to deal with.

Also, be aware of "RealMojis." Since these are photos of your kid's face, they can be saved and used by others. It's a small thing, but in the world of "sticker" culture and memes, a teen's "crying face" RealMoji can quickly become a joke in a group chat they aren't part of.

Learn more about the psychology of social media notifications

Instead of a lecture on privacy, try asking questions that tap into their experience:

The goal is to show them you "get" the culture of the app. When you understand that a "RealMoji" is different from a standard emoji, you're not just a "clueless parent"—you're a digitally fluent mentor.

BeReal is one of the more "human" social media apps we’ve seen in a long time. It doesn't have the soul-crushing algorithms of YouTube or the hyper-edited pressure of Instagram.

However, "authentic" content is often "unfiltered" content, and that carries its own set of risks. If your kid is mature enough to handle the "right now" nature of the app and smart enough to keep their location private, BeReal can be a fun, relatively healthy way to keep up with friends.

Check out our full guide on setting up parental controls for iPhone Ask our chatbot for a comparison of BeReal vs. Snapchat