Is Clash of Clans Safe? A Clash of Clans App Review for Parents

Harmful Content 😲

Clash of Clans is an animated game, and doesn’t display any graphics images like blood or gore. However, the ability to connect with other players presents a number of dangers.

If your child joins a chat, they can encounter and participate in inappropriate conversations. Some players also use explicit usernames. Chat rooms like this can lead to bullying and harassment, and they can put your child at risk for predation, which we’ll discuss in a later section. 

The game lets users report harmful content, but it does little to stop it from reaching your child to begin with. Also, Clash of Clans provides links to YouTube videos about strategy and gaming tips, but this opens the door for your child to encounter other harmful content on YouTube.

Predation 🚨

Because of the local and global chat features, there’s a much greater risk of predation on Clash of Clans. Often, predators interact with children in chats like these by pretending to be another kid. They can gain your child’s trust by playing with them, and then try to get your child to share more personal information. 

The creators of Clash of Clans are fully aware of this risk, even to the point of including the word “grooming” in the parents’ guide as a term to know.

Privacy 🔒

It’s possible for players to stay completely anonymous on Clash of Clans. Your child can use a fake name and avoid the chat feature, opting for solo attacks only. The game requests the player’s age when they log in, but it doesn’t display this information nor does it share a player’s location, gender, etc.

Parental Controls ✅

Clash of Clans doesn’t give parents the option to monitor their child’s activity or restrict access to features like the chat room. This means your kid can talk with strangers or follow the YouTube video links without your knowledge. The good news is, Bark can help you stay in control by letting you:

• Block Clash of Clans completely, if needed.
• Manage when your child can use Clash of Clans throughout the day.

So, should my kid download it?

Not until they’re older. Because of the risks associated with the chat feature, it’s important for kids to play responsibly and only connect with trusted friends. We suggest talking with your child about the dangers of online chat rooms and YouTube before giving them access to Clash of Clans.