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Instagram vs BeReal: The Privacy Debate for Social Users

Explore how Instagram's US-based features compare to BeReal's EU focus on data security and privacy. Decide which suits your privacy needs today.

Last updated: February 18, 2026โ€ขReviewed by Built in EU Team

Should You Switch to BeReal?

What You Gain

Gain privacy, authenticity, and control over data

Privacy advantage
Trade-offs

Lose diverse content features like Stories and Reels

Instagram has more features
Bottom Line

Switch if privacy and authenticity matter more than features

At a Glance

Data Location
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธUS

US data laws

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บEU

GDPR protected

Pricing

Instagram

Contact

BeReal

free

Migration
Medium difficulty~1-2 hours

Privacy & Compliance Comparison

Critical data sovereignty factors at a glance

CriteriaInstagramBeReal
Server Location
US, EUEU
GDPR Compliance
Partial (SCCs)Full
Open Source
E2E Encryption
Data Portability
PartialUnknown

CLOUD Act Notice

Instagram is a US company and must comply with CLOUD Act data requests, even for data stored in EU data centers. BeReal is not subject to US jurisdiction.

Switching from
Instagram logo

Instagram

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ

Meta

VS
Switching to
BeReal logo

BeReal

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ

BeReal

US Data Storage

Data subject to US CLOUD Act and may be accessed by US authorities

EU Data Protection

Data protected under GDPR with EU-only data residency

Certifications & Compliance

No certifications listed

GDPR Compliant
EU-hosted

Reasons to Switch

  • โœ“Daily prompts encourage authentic sharing habits
  • โœ“No follower counts reduce social pressure
  • โœ“GDPR compliance ensures strict data protection
  • โœ“User-controlled data deletion enhances privacy

Things to Consider

  • !Limited features compared to Instagram's offerings
  • !Learning curve for new daily prompt system
  • !Migration pain due to lack of direct content transfer
Migration difficulty:
Medium
~1-2 hours

Migration Overview

Full guide
Difficulty
Medium
Time Estimate
~1-2 hours

Depends on data size and complexity

Quick Steps

1

Create BeReal account and configure settings

2

Export and prepare data from Instagram

3

Import data, test integrations, and migrate users

Other alternatives to Instagram

Ready to make the switch?

Start using BeReal today and take control of your data privacy.