Episode – Choose Your Story is an interactive storytelling platform. It includes stories written by the editorial team at Episode and by the users themselves. A lot of the stories contain references to sex, romance and dating, with some censored nudity.
Official age rating
There aren’t parental controls on Episode and some stories contain adult content. Talk about the app together to decide if it's appropriate.
Sitting down with your child and exploring their favourite app or game is a great way for you to learn more about what they like to do online.
You can ask them why they like to use an app or play certain games, as well as who they’re talking to and what sorts of things they’re sharing.
You can also read our Net Aware reviews for tips on how to keep kids safe on popular apps, sites and games.
Help your child think about what they share online and who sees it. Compare it to what they would be happy to share offline.
Use examples that are easy for them to understand: “You shouldn't give your number to somebody you don't know on the street. Is somebody online you don't know any different?”
Listen to their answers. And be positive and encouraging.
Remind them that they shouldn’t share private things, such as:
You can't talk to people directly in the game but the app links out to a separate forum site where users can go to discuss story lines and episodes. To access these forums you need to set up a separate account.
Make sure to check in with your child regularly about who they’re talking to online and ask them about any new chats or forums they’ve joined.
Remind them if someone starts asking them other questions or suggests they speak using another app like Snapchat or Instagram they should come and tell you.
Explore safety settings together so your child knows how to stop unwanted contact or end an online chat.
You can purchase gems and tickets in the app that let you make certain decisions and give you access to other chapters.
Make sure to speak with your child about purchasing gems and tickets while playing the game.
You might want to turn off in-app purchasing on your child’s phone to make sure they can’t use this feature. You should be able to switch this off in the settings on any device.
Here are links to advice to help you do this:
Explain that you understand the internet is a great place to play, create, learn and connect. But remind them they can talk to you if anything upsets or worries them.
Reassure them that you won’t overreact – you’re just looking out for them.
It’s important to remind your child that they can talk you, another adult they trust, like a teacher, or Childline about anything they see online.
Having open, regular conversations with your child will help you to really understand and explore the online world together. Our tips and advice can help you start these conversations.
Talk about staying safe onlineGet emails on the latest social networks, apps and games your kids are using, so you're always up to date.
