The policy states that advertisers may provide BeReal with hashed lists of their customers' phone numbers, which BeReal matches against hashed phone numbers in its user account database to identify which BeReal users to show that advertiser's ads to, with the hashed values from advertisers deleted after the matching process.
This analysis describes what BeReal's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
This provision establishes a custom audience matching workflow using hashed phone numbers as the matching identifier. The policy asserts that matched audience lists and BeReal user phone numbers are not disclosed back to advertisers, but the processing of user phone numbers for advertiser targeting purposes may constitute a 'sale' or 'sharing' under applicable U.S. state privacy laws, as acknowledged in Section 9.5.
Interpretive note: Whether this matching workflow constitutes a 'sale' or 'sharing' under specific state privacy laws depends on the applicable statutory definition and enforcement interpretation, which varies by jurisdiction.
The updated policy now requires email address in addition to phone number, full name, and date of birth to create an account. BeReal discloses that it derives likely gender from your username, first name, and biography using AI, and uses this classification for internal targeting purposes. The policy also reveals that a randomized sample of 0.001% of users will have their interface interactions (touches and swipes) recorded through an analytics partner for up to 90 days to understand how users navigate the app; this practice does not apply in all geographic regions. You can review your app settings or contact BeReal to inquire about your data collection status.
View change record →Introduces new practice of matching advertiser customer lists against user phone numbers, enabling highly targeted advertising based on external customer data.
View full change record →Under this provision, the phone number associated with a user's BeReal account may be used to match the user to an advertiser's customer list for the purpose of displaying that advertiser's ads to the user within the app. The policy states this matching uses hashed values and that user phone numbers are not disclosed to advertisers.
Cross-platform context
See how other platforms handle Advertiser Hashed Phone Number Audience Matching and similar clauses.
Compare across platforms →"When an advertiser runs a campaign with us, it may provide us with a hashed (pseudonymized) list of phone numbers of its own customers. We match this list against hashed phone numbers associated with BeReal user accounts in order to display that advertiser's ads to the relevant users on BeReal. We do not receive phone numbers in clear text from advertisers, and hashed values provided for matching are not kept beyond the matching operation.Excerpt from BeReal's Privacy Policy
REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: This provision implicates CCPA as amended by CPRA, and analogous U.S.
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This provision establishes a custom audience matching workflow using hashed phone numbers as the matching identifier. The policy asserts that matched audience lists and BeReal user phone numbers are not disclosed back to advertisers, but the processing of user phone numbers for advertiser targeting purposes may constitute a 'sale' or 'sharing' under applicable U.S. state privacy laws, as acknowledged in …
Under this provision, the phone number associated with a user's BeReal account may be used to match the user to an advertiser's customer list for the purpose of displaying that advertiser's ads to the user within the app. The policy states this matching uses hashed values and that user phone numbers are not disclosed to advertisers.
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