Cleverbot is one of the most popular AI chatbots. People use it for AI-driven chat and interactive conversations. This chatbot behaves like a human and responds to your messages. Since the AI boom, AI bots have seen strong demand among kids and adults alike. According to a 2025 study published by MIT, heavy use of AI chatbots increases loneliness and emotional dependence, thereby reducing practical socialization.
In this article, we will explore the importance of Cleverbot, its relevance, and its impact on children’s safety. We will also discuss some alternatives and what parents need to ensure as their kids become increasingly engaged with this and other similar chatbots.
Why is Cleverbot so popular among children?
AI chatbots like Cleverbot are highly popular among children. That’s because of its interactive nature and responsiveness. Let’s briefly discuss the common reasons why children find this chatbot interesting:
Entertainment aspects
As children grow, they have many questions they seek answers to. They may ask such questions just for fun and entertainment. They may want to know about things they’re probably hesitant to ask others. Since AI is not a human, kids know they can ask any kind of question to the chatbot. They tend to enjoy the answers, even if they already know them.
Educational aspects
Children also use Cleverbot for educational purposes. They may want to tell the bot to solve a question from mathematics or physics. They may want to ask for help with their homework. They also use this bot to ask any informational questions that they are curious about. Although the answers they get from Cleverbot may not be fully authentic or useful, kids may still ask those questions in search of the right answer. Furthermore, kids are naturally learning the art of using a computer or a mobile phone by using Cleverbot. They naturally learn and gain experience in small skills, such as typing and giving commands or prompts to AI chatbots.
Continuous availability
One key difference between chatting with a human and AI is that humans are not always available. There may be times when kids need to talk to someone. It may be an odd time in the night when all the peers of that child are asleep. It can be the time when a kid’s best friend is not available to talk. But that’s naturally not the case with Cleverbot. It is always online, available, up and running. Just hop onto your device, open Cleverbot, and start talking. That’s one of the reasons why Cleverbot is so famous among children.
Emotional companionship
Children tend to develop an emotional connection with the other entities they are related to. It can be their pet, a toy, a plant, or even a chatbot like Cleverbot. So, when kids start talking to this chatbot, which always listens to them and responds kindly, they begin to develop an emotional bond with it. Hence, it becomes difficult for them to stop using it. It gradually becomes a friend to children, and they don’t want to leave it. Unlike humans, bots are also not judgmental. So, children find it easier to express and discuss their feelings with Cleverbot, and it becomes increasingly important to them over time.
Protect your kids from inappropriate AI interactions with parental controls.
Key features of Cleverbot
Cleverbot is famous for many reasons. There are many great features of Cleverbot. Let’s briefly discuss some of them below to get an overall idea about this chatbot’s capabilities:
Engaging conversation
Cleverbot’s conversation style is highly engaging. It attracts users and keeps them engaged with anything they are interested in. It just feels like some human being is replying to you. So, the user gets engaged with the chat.
Instant replying
Cleverbot replies very fast. As soon as you enter your query, it gives you the reply. It can be a short reply, but you will still get the answer in most cases. Unlike a few other chatbots, it doesn’t keep you waiting for a reply.
Short answers
Unlike other chatting apps like ChatGPT, Cleverbot’s replies are short and to the point. You get what you ask for in most cases, but the replies are not long. So, you don’t have to read through a lot of text to interpret the replies.
Ease of use
Cleverbot is very easy to use. You just have to open the Cleverbot site and start typing your queries. While there is an option to make an account and sign in, you can still use it even if you don’t have a registered account.
Flexibility in topics
Cleverbot lets you chat freely. You don’t have to follow any specific pattern or topic. It doesn’t really matter what topic is on your mind; you can just start typing and start getting replies from this chatbot.
Witty replies
One of Cleverbot’s unique features is that it gives you witty replies instantly. If you write anything strange or against this bot, you may expect to get a similar reply, but in a decent way. For example, if you write “You’re stupid”, you may get a reply “No. I am not.”
Free usage
Cleverbot is completely free to use. That’s the leverage that makes this bot so convenient to use. This is especially true for kids. They don’t find any harm in using this chatbot because they don’t have to pay anything.
No copy-paste
Cleverbot doesn’t allow you to repeat the same question. If you copy a question you previously asked and paste it into the chat, you’ll see a prompt telling you not to copy and paste.
Is Cleverbot safe for children?
The short answer is no. Cleverbot may not be safe for children. Although it is not designed to be unsafe, it can naturally become an unsafe practice for children to use. That’s because the developers didn’t design it for children. They have designed this chatbot so that its responses improve based on previous chats. So, it is possible that your kids get into a kind of chat that’s misleading, inaccurate, or inappropriate.
Developers of this chatbot don’t filter the results shown to users. That’s why it’s risky for children to use this chatbot.
Let’s discuss some specific aspects for the children:
Understanding potential risks and inappropriate content
There are several potential risks for your children when they use Cleverbot regularly. These risks may be related to the inappropriate or adult content that is not considered safe for kids. When your kids start using this chatbot, it is natural for them to engage in conversations with Cleverbot that aren’t in their best interests. And Cleverbot will keep replying regardless of the topic or question. The following are some of the possibilities:
- Adult themes: Kids can get replies from this chatbot if they start the adult-themed discussions. They may start typing questions that lead the overall conversation toward adult chats.
- Sexual content: As Cleverbot is trained gradually on previous users’ responses, it is possible that kids also engage in such content at an early stage. That’s why you need to keep a close eye on your kids while they use such bots.
- Violent language: Cleverbot may also use violent language with its users. Since the filters are not used, there is no moderation by anyone. So, anything that goes to the questions and replies previously, your kids are likely to experience violent language.
- Bad jokes or advice: Cleverbot is not always perfect. Rather, it can give you bad replies or jokes in return. That’s because it gets training on the replies and conversations done before. So, you can’t guarantee that it will give you the right advice that you can rely on.
- Insulting responses: You can also expect Cleverbot to give you insulting responses in some cases. Although it may not happen every time, the risk is there. So, if the interaction is leading towards something insulting, you may get a similar reply from this chatbot.
Privacy concerns and data handling
There are many privacy challenges with Cleverbot, including how it handles data. Let’s briefly discuss the privacy and data concerns related to Cleverbot:
Data privacy
As we mentioned earlier, this chatbot’s responses are typically based on previous chats. That means that the conversations you have with this AI chatbot are not private. Although the platform says users can remain as anonymous as they choose, anonymity is not guaranteed.
Private data handling
Kids can accidentally share their personal information with this chatbot. That data may be stored by the chatbot and shared with others. So, keeping all information completely private is a big challenge for this AI bot.
No strict age verification
Unlike other AI chatbots, Cleverbot doesn’t care much about users’ ages. So, kids of a small age who can type can still access this chatbot. Parents might not even know if their kids are using Cleverbot.
How parents can talk to children about Cleverbot
Responsible parents may already know the answer. The best way to ensure your kids’ digital safety is to maintain open communication. You need to talk openly with your kids, so they clearly understand what’s good and bad for them. Cleverbot may not necessarily be bad for kids. But it still has many risks. Let’s briefly discuss some useful tips for parents to talk to children about Cleverbot:
Interactive sessions
A one-to-one session with your kids, including an interactive discussion on AI chatbots, is highly recommended. Your kids may be new to AI and think it has only brought benefits. If you don’t engage with them in clear discussions, they may still remain in the darkness. Always try to have interactive sessions and discussions about chatbots like Cleverbot, and discuss the risks they may face for your kids.
Tell them how it works
You must explain to your kids how AI interactions work on Cleverbot. You must tell them that Cleverbot’s responses are based on deep, independent research. Rather, the AI module of Cleverbot gets trained using the previous responses of common users. Hence, you cannot be sure the response will be true or beneficial to them.
Set clear boundaries
You must draw lines between using AI and having physical interactions. You must clearly tell your kids that Cleverbot is not a human; it has no emotions and can make mistakes. That’s why if they still want to use it, they must follow some boundaries. You can clearly tell your children when and how they can use this chatbot. You must also tell them which information to share and which to avoid when using this chatbot.
Exploring alternatives to Cleverbot
Have you had enough of Cleverbot? Don’t worry! You have different options for your kids. If it is necessary for your kids to use AI, it is better to recommend the following chatbots to them:
LittleLit AI
LittleLit AI is currently the number one choice for kids who want help with AI. It is meant for kids who want to explore general knowledge about common things appropriate for their age. The language, prompts, and kinds of replies on this AI platform are designed for kids. It offers many features that help keep kids engaged with healthy information. It contains all the basic information about the subjects that kids are striving to learn. So, in a way, using this AI would be much safer for your kids compared to using other AI chatbots like Cleverbot, which are not even designed for kids. This platform is also much safer in terms of protecting privacy and collecting user data.
Socrat.ai
Socrat is another AI platform that is considered a safe option for kids. As the name suggests, this platform focuses solely on educational aspects for kids. So, you can term it as an AI learning tool for your kids. Your kids can always get help understanding academic problems and also get assistance with their homework and assignments. This platform monitors all interactions and ensures that only age-appropriate data passes through it.
KidsChatGPT
You may have confused KidsChatGPT with the famous ChatGPT, but the two platforms are unrelated. Still, KidsChatGPT, as an independent platform, provides a safe environment for kids to learn and have educational fun. As per the company’s claim of ensuring “safe and secure” conversations that are “designed for kids”, you can rely on this platform if you want your kids to learn from AI. It filters unsafe and harmful content and claims not to store users’ information.
Practical tips for parents to ensure online safety
In this digital age, parents find it increasingly difficult to keep their children safe and secure, especially during online interactions. So, what are the best ways to monitor your kids’ interactions with AI chatbots like Cleverbot? Responsible parents are most likely to rely on strict supervision, careful guidance, and digital tools.
Let’s have a quick set of useful tips below:
Continuous monitoring
You have to monitor your kids regularly. You must know why your kids are spending so much time on their devices and where they spend most of their time. You have to be extra vigilant if you find out that your kids are using chatbots.
Maintain regular communication
Maintaining regular and open communication about all digital matters is always a great idea. You must engage with your kids and keep telling them what’s happening around the world, especially about the misuse of AI bots. Always encourage your kids to share their point of view so that it’s easy for you to understand their situation as well.
Monitor physical interactions
Have a close look at how your kids are doing with their physical interactions. If you notice substantial changes in their physical interactions, start investigating whether they are relying more on digital companionship with AI chatbots like Cleverbot. In that case, you must act immediately to stop your kids from using such AI chatbots.
Teach digital safety
Your kids must know how to stay safe in their digital experiences. This is beyond just chatbots. You must tell them not to share their personal information online. You must also narrate examples and key takeaways from kids who suffered from incidents of digital fraud, theft, and cyberbullying. So, you must always teach your kids about digital etiquette and safety.
Set boundaries
You should set clear rules and limits for your kids to ensure they don’t overuse apps that aren’t useful. You can tell your kids to use AI bots that are safe and designed for kids. They must refrain from using chatbots intended for adults, as they may expose kids to inappropriate content.
Use a parental control app
If you want a single solution for all your problems, try a good parental control app like FlashGet Kids. If you just install this app (kids’ version) on your kid’s phone, you can start monitoring all their activities directly from your phone. You get all the information about what your kids are doing on their phones, even if you are away from them.
Conclusion
Cleverbot is a free chatbot that gives you answers to your queries in a manner that may feel like a human-like interaction. This chatbot learns and matures based on previous communication and other users’ responses, so the responses you get may not be true, accurate, or even informative. People may use this chatbot for fun and to get witty replies.
As this platform is not meant for kids, it is not safe for them to use, even for educational purposes. There are other alternatives kids can use to have healthy AI interactions, but parental supervision is essential in all situations. The best way to ensure your kid’s online safety is to maintain open communication with them and monitor their activities closely, which you can do conveniently with the FlashGet Kids app.
