Is the Episode App Safe? An Episode App Review for Parents

Harmful Content 😲

The Episode app gives you the option to “play” different stories with names like “Hot Mansion” and “Love on Fire.” As a story progresses, you contribute to the outcome by making text-based decisions. But these stories are far from innocent bedtime tales, they’re filled with:

• Profanity
• Sexual content
• Drugs/alcohol
• Violence

Episode also portrays life in a way that’s usually only depicted on TV and in movies. While this may be the point — as an escape for some people — kids may not always be able to tell the difference.

Predation 🚨

There’s an option in-app to access the Episode online forum. This message board enables users to chat and leave messages about the game. However, it also opens up the opportunity for strangers to message kids and potentially begin the grooming process.

Privacy 🔒

Privacy isn’t a concern within the game, because it’s not multiplayer. It can, however, be a concern in the Episode forum — which is easily accessed from the settings menu — if a child uses their real name or social media handles to start chatting with strangers.

Parental Controls ✅

Unfortunately, Episode has no parental controls to speak of. Bark can help though! Our service allows you to:

• Block Episode entirely, if needed
• Manage when your child can use Episode throughout the day.

So, should my kid download it?

No. The Episode app — despite how the company may rate it — is definitely not for children. There’s too much exposure to sexual content, profanity, and other inappropriate situations, and this makes it belong firmly to the camp of “adults only.”