--- title: If You Choose To BeReal, Will You Be Safe? description: Applications like BeReal and TikTok are often in the news due to security concerns, but most users are ignorant to the dangers posed by these tools. image: https://www.uattech.com/hubfs/Video%20Blur.png --- [![image-26](https://www.uattech.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Marketing/Logos/image-26.png?width=99&name=image-26.png "image-26")](https://www.uat.edu/) ** - [Home](https://www.uattech.com) - [Majors](http://www.uat.edu/advancing-technology-degrees) - [About UAT](https://www.uat.edu/about-uat) - [Request More Information](https://www.uat.edu/request-info) [![Take a Virtual, Interactive Tour ](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/3455363/92ff0e66-7821-430b-88c3-a32c82c5bda2.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/3455363/92ff0e66-7821-430b-88c3-a32c82c5bda2) # University of Advancing Technology's Official Technology Blog ALL CATEGORIES - [all Categories](https://www.uattech.com) - [ Advancing Computer Science ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/advancing-computer-science) - [ Advertising Art ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/advertising-art) - [ Artificial Intelligence ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/artificial-intelligence) - [ Business Technology ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/business-technology) - [ Cyber Security ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/cyber-security) - [ Data Science ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/data-science) - [ Digital Maker and Fabrication ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/digital-maker-and-fabrication) - [ Digital Marketing ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/digital-marketing) - [ Digital Video ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/digital-video) - [ Game Studies ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/game-studies) - [ Human Computer Interaction ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/human-computer-interaction) - [ Robotics and Embedded Systems ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/robotics-and-embedded-sytems) - [ Software Engineering ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/software-engineering) - [ Virtual Reality ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/virtual-reality) - [ Alumni ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/alumni) - [ Behind the Bits Magazine ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/behind-the-bits) - [ Career and Work ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/career-and-work) - [ Competitions ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/competitions) - [ Events ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/events) - [ Geek411 Magazine ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/geek-411) - [ Graduate Studies ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/graduate-studies) - [ Military ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/military) - [ People, Places and Things ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/people-places-and-things) - [ Perimeter83 ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/Perimeter83) - [ Student Innovation Project (SIP) ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/student-innovation-project) - [ Student Work ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/student-work) - [ Technology News ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/technology-news) - [ UAT Life ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/UAT-life) - [ UAT News ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/UAT-news) [Cyber Security](https://www.uattech.com/tag/cyber-security), [UAT News](https://www.uattech.com/tag/uat-news), [Technology News](https://www.uattech.com/tag/technology-news)   |   6 Min Read ## If You Choose To BeReal, Will You Be Safe? ![Picture of Aaron Jones](https://www.uattech.com/hubfs/Aaron%20Jones.jpg) [ Written by Aaron Jones ](https://www.uattech.com/author/aaron-jones) # New Social App Combines Reality with Risks Applications like [BeReal](https://bere.al/en) and TikTok are often in the news due to security concerns, but most users are ignorant to the dangers posed by these tools. TikTok was released in September of 2016 and BeReal started sometime in January of 2020. Both applications encourage users to create media of their immediate surroundings and collects a phenomenal amount of data from users. Sometime around September 22nd of 2021, a user of TikTok who was working on a military installation [created a video of an unknown aircraft](https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20210929-stealth-object-exposed-on-tiktok/) or frame. This clip was allegedly shared with Air Combat Command Chief General Mark Kelly who reportedly spent some time studying the video. The creation of this video was considered a grievous [OPSEC violation](https://www.sandboxx.us/blog/what-is-opsec/). It is believed the aircraft was US stealth technology currently undergoing testing, which was posted to the Chinese government affiliated platform. It is important to remember that the Chinese passed laws in 2017 that state, "any organization or citizen shall support, assist and cooperate with the state intelligence work in accordance with the law." BeReal requests that users create a photo using both cameras on a phone simultaneously that can then be used to create a "more authentic" image of what is happening around the user. Some users refer to it as a more relaxed or "real" Instagram. However, users who deploy this application while in secure facilities or while operating around sensitive [data](https://bere.al/en/privacy) can reveal much more than they expected. ![BeReal1](https://www.uattech.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BeReal1.png?width=238&name=BeReal1.png) ![BeReal2](https://www.uattech.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BeReal2.png?width=250&name=BeReal2.png) ![BeReal3](https://www.uattech.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BeReal3.png?width=253&name=BeReal3.png) Users of these social media applications should be educated on the danger posed by their devices and how important it is to safeguard the data that they are exposed to regularly. Providing images of secure facilities or secret tools can damage the safety and security of the nation and while the applications themselves may only be a means by which data is collected, users of these applications are often deploying them in the wrong place and at the wrong time. --- UAT offers a [Master’s of Science](https://www.uat.edu/master-of-science?_ga=2.129490254.339469519.1624899524-831754632.1624899524&__hstc=208766029.ff523c96aed30a68e2421579f9b725ad.1645743647607.1648752241519.1648768015699.30&__hssc=208766029.5.1648768015699&__hsfp=1268645438) in Cyber Security, as well as bachelor’s degrees in [Network Engineering](https://www.uat.edu/network-engineering-degree?_ga=2.129490254.339469519.1624899524-831754632.1624899524&__hstc=208766029.ff523c96aed30a68e2421579f9b725ad.1645743647607.1648752241519.1648768015699.30&__hssc=208766029.5.1648768015699&__hsfp=1268645438), [Network Security](https://www.uat.edu/network-security-degree?_ga=2.129490254.339469519.1624899524-831754632.1624899524&__hstc=208766029.ff523c96aed30a68e2421579f9b725ad.1645743647607.1648752241519.1648768015699.30&__hssc=208766029.5.1648768015699&__hsfp=1268645438), and [Technology Forensics](https://www.uat.edu/technology-forensics-degree?_ga=2.129490254.339469519.1624899524-831754632.1624899524&__hstc=208766029.ff523c96aed30a68e2421579f9b725ad.1645743647607.1648752241519.1648768015699.30&__hssc=208766029.5.1648768015699&__hsfp=1268645438). 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