Since its relaunch in 2020, the BeReal app has gained significant popularity. The app works by notifying all users simultaneously at a random time every day, giving users just two minutes to stop and take a picture of their surroundings. Once the picture has been posted, users can scroll through all of their friends posts and see what they’re up to.
It seems an innocent concept, however it is a cause for concern for employers as the picture sharing could give rise to privacy and data security risks. An employee taking a photo of their work screen, for example, could be breaking data protection laws if their screen contains personal data.
A further consideration when taking photographs of your computer screen at work is whether it is likely to be a breach of company rules. Most employment contracts will contain a confidentiality clause, which prohibits an employee from disclosing confidential information regarding their employer.
Even though users can choose who to be friends with on BeReal, once a photograph has been posted, users can never be sure who will see it. Screenshots could be taken or phones passed around amongst friends.
In an environment where social media is evolving at a rapid rate, it is paramount to have clear and robust social media and privacy policies. Please contact us if you require template policies or assistance with any of the above.
