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What Parents Should Know About BeReal, the App Taking GenZ by Storm

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What Parents Should Know About BeReal, the App Taking GenZ by Storm

By Movieguide® Contributor

BeReal is the latest popular app that’s topping the download charts, driven in large part by Generation Z. What do we know about the picture-sharing app?

The app was created in 2020, but only recently became popular. Its draw? BeReal sends users a notification every day at a random time, giving users two minutes to take and post a photo. The picture includes a front and back view from both cameras on your phone. 

Users post pictures from their day, whether it’s a trip to the beach, running errands, or simply spending time at work or school. You also have the option to follow others, so you can see your friends’ BeReal posts and find out what they’re doing.

So, why is it so popular? For many, social media has become a place to carefully curate your image, from posed photos, to posts that show off only the highlights of your life. With BeReal, users aren’t given the time to make sure their appearance is perfect, or that they’re doing something amazing and fun. The app emphasizes “real” life; hence, the name BeReal. 

According to the app’s fact sheet, BeReal is “a candid and fun place for people to share their lives with friends.”

“We want to make people feel good about themselves and their lives,” they continued. “We want an alternative to addictive social networks fueling social comparison and portraying life with the goal of amassing influence.”

Many are turning to BeReal after Instagram’s latest update. Users were displeased by the increased ads and pushing of feature content, as well as pushing any content from people you actually follow to the bottom of the feed. 

While BeReal is popular now, many are already predicting its demise, comparing it to other hugely popular — and now largely gone — apps like Wordle and HQ Trivia. 

For parents worried about the danger of the app, there isn’t anything specific that sets it apart from other photo-sharing apps like Instagram or Snapchat. The only difference is the small window users have to post their BeReals.

The app is still relatively new, so there haven’t been any reports about inappropriate behavior or posts yet, but it’s always best to use discernment. If your teen is using BeReal, make sure that they know not to post anything private, such as addresses or full names.

While the specific posting time encourages more authentic social media, it can also lead to a dependency on posting right away. If your teen seems too obsessed with making sure they’re posting the perfect BeReal at the exact right time, have a conversation with them about deleting the app, or just stepping back for a few weeks.

It’s admirable that BeReal wants to encourage users to stop creating a “perfect life” for their social media feeds and appreciate their day-to-day lives, but it seems like just one more app for people’s attention to get sucked into before they move on to the Next Big Thing. 

Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.


Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.