Assessment status:
Miniclip has failed the AWL assessment.
Website link: http://www.miniclip.com
Assessor: kbrooks
Closed on March 9, 2008
Scheduled for re-assessment.
Miniclip has failed the AWL assessment.
Website link: http://www.miniclip.com
Assessor: kbrooks
Closed on March 9, 2008
Scheduled for re-assessment.
Miniclip
Miniclip.com is the world's largest website dedicated to playing online games with 43 million unique users per month - source, Google Analytics, December, 2007. Miniclip.com games are the most played online games and are syndicated across more websites than any other games. Miniclip.com games are extremely popular because they are fun, free, high quality and easy to use. They include the full range from casual games to hard-core massive multiplayer games.
FAIL
PASS
PASS
PASS
CRITERIA
Abuse, bans, sanctions
The site's rules must, at a minimum ban and have sanctions for the following: Offensive language (including discrimination, and bullying of users), promotion/endorsement of illegal activity, adult material, advertising/linking to adult/offensive sites.
REPORT
Miniclip's Terms & Conditions clearly ban offensive language, discrimination, bullying, promoting/endorsing illegal activity, linking to, uploading or otherwise disseminating adult/offensive material/sites.
Abuse, bans, sanctions
The site's rules must, at a minimum ban and have sanctions for the following: Offensive language (including discrimination, and bullying of users), promotion/endorsement of illegal activity, adult material, advertising/linking to adult/offensive sites.
REPORT
Miniclip's Terms & Conditions clearly ban offensive language, discrimination, bullying, promoting/endorsing illegal activity, linking to, uploading or otherwise disseminating adult/offensive material/sites.
CRITERIA
Code of conduct
Site staff must have a code of conduct in dealing with users and what powers they may use and when. Site staff must also be monitored to be following the rules and not misusing powers or their position.
REPORT
There is no staff-specific code of conduct.
Code of conduct
Site staff must have a code of conduct in dealing with users and what powers they may use and when. Site staff must also be monitored to be following the rules and not misusing powers or their position.
REPORT
There is no staff-specific code of conduct.
CRITERIA
Comply with laws
The site must comply with all relevant privacy laws depending on the country they are based in, e.g. The Data Protection Act.
REPORT
Miniclip complies with the UK privacy law
Comply with laws
The site must comply with all relevant privacy laws depending on the country they are based in, e.g. The Data Protection Act.
REPORT
Miniclip complies with the UK privacy law
CRITERIA
Hide personal information
If the site allows people to make 'profiles' with personal information on them, the option to either hide the information from all but the person's friends must be on all information which could be used to identify a child (phone number, address, full name, school attended, email address.
REPORT
Parents can choose to delete personal information using the procedure clearly stated in the Privacy policy.
Hide personal information
If the site allows people to make 'profiles' with personal information on them, the option to either hide the information from all but the person's friends must be on all information which could be used to identify a child (phone number, address, full name, school attended, email address.
REPORT
Parents can choose to delete personal information using the procedure clearly stated in the Privacy policy.
CRITERIA
Identifiable moderators/staff
Official site staff, moderators and helpers are clearly identifiable to users.
REPORT
There is no clear identification of official site staff, moderators and helpers on the site.
Identifiable moderators/staff
Official site staff, moderators and helpers are clearly identifiable to users.
REPORT
There is no clear identification of official site staff, moderators and helpers on the site.
CRITERIA
Information on issues relating to children
Site staff show awareness of issues that may arise from children using the site including how to deal with bullying, abuse and paedophiles.
REPORT
Miniclip shows awareness of child Internet safety in the Privacy policy with a link to their Internet safety page
Information on issues relating to children
Site staff show awareness of issues that may arise from children using the site including how to deal with bullying, abuse and paedophiles.
REPORT
Miniclip shows awareness of child Internet safety in the Privacy policy with a link to their Internet safety page
CRITERIA
Moderation, approval, filters
If the site has forums or chat rooms they must have a system of moderation which is reasonably effective in dealing with issues. Moderation may include: Live moderators, requiring moderator approval of posts, or word filters, other systems of moderation will be judged in its effectiveness before being approved.
REPORT
Miniclip has forums and rules for the forums that implicitly proscribe child abuse, bullying, cybersex and creating an account when you are under 13.
Moderation, approval, filters
If the site has forums or chat rooms they must have a system of moderation which is reasonably effective in dealing with issues. Moderation may include: Live moderators, requiring moderator approval of posts, or word filters, other systems of moderation will be judged in its effectiveness before being approved.
REPORT
Miniclip has forums and rules for the forums that implicitly proscribe child abuse, bullying, cybersex and creating an account when you are under 13.
CRITERIA
No adware, spyware, malware
The site must not be harmful and must not contain viruses, spyware, adware or malware.
REPORT
As far as we are aware, the site is not harmful in that it does not serve up and/or link to viruses, spyware, adware or malware.
No adware, spyware, malware
The site must not be harmful and must not contain viruses, spyware, adware or malware.
REPORT
As far as we are aware, the site is not harmful in that it does not serve up and/or link to viruses, spyware, adware or malware.
CRITERIA
No encouraging real life meeting
The site must not encourage children to meet in real life, regardless of circumstances.
REPORT
The site does not encourage children to meet in real life at all.
No encouraging real life meeting
The site must not encourage children to meet in real life, regardless of circumstances.
REPORT
The site does not encourage children to meet in real life at all.
CRITERIA
No harmful links/bad affiliates
The site must not have links, affiliations or activities to any sites which break the rules listed above. The site may also not be a 'sub-group' to any site that breaks the above rules.
REPORT
Miniclip does not link directly or indirectly to sites which break all the essential rules.
No harmful links/bad affiliates
The site must not have links, affiliations or activities to any sites which break the rules listed above. The site may also not be a 'sub-group' to any site that breaks the above rules.
REPORT
Miniclip does not link directly or indirectly to sites which break all the essential rules.
CRITERIA
No third party sales
The site does not sell, or give away members' information to external sites or companies without a CLEAR and easy to understand 'opt-in' system.
REPORT
Under the privacy policy, Miniclip does not give away or sell personally identifiable information of under-13's to third parties. However, Miniclip does not have an enforcement system to ensure this.
No third party sales
The site does not sell, or give away members' information to external sites or companies without a CLEAR and easy to understand 'opt-in' system.
REPORT
Under the privacy policy, Miniclip does not give away or sell personally identifiable information of under-13's to third parties. However, Miniclip does not have an enforcement system to ensure this.
CRITERIA
Privacy Policy, Terms of Use
The site rules, privacy policy and terms of use must be reasonably easy to find.
REPORT
The site rules, privacy policy and terms of use are reasonably easy to find.
Privacy Policy, Terms of Use
The site rules, privacy policy and terms of use must be reasonably easy to find.
REPORT
The site rules, privacy policy and terms of use are reasonably easy to find.
CRITERIA
Privacy protection
The site takes reasonable steps to protect the privacy of its users, and ensures that private information is not leaked or stolen.
REPORT
The terms of conditions say that you have to be 13 years old to play games, but there is no age verification system. All your game scores are saved. The conditions also say that if you are under 13 but older than 10 you can only play certain, child safe games, but no mention is made of this when you start playing a game.
Privacy protection
The site takes reasonable steps to protect the privacy of its users, and ensures that private information is not leaked or stolen.
REPORT
The terms of conditions say that you have to be 13 years old to play games, but there is no age verification system. All your game scores are saved. The conditions also say that if you are under 13 but older than 10 you can only play certain, child safe games, but no mention is made of this when you start playing a game.
CRITERIA
Report complaints/abuse system
There must be an easy to use complaint/abuse report system where users can report issues of rule breaking or abuse.
REPORT
There is an e-mail address for your complaints, but there is no easy to use report system. Parents may have concerns about revealing the identity of the child via his/her e-mail address.
Report complaints/abuse system
There must be an easy to use complaint/abuse report system where users can report issues of rule breaking or abuse.
REPORT
There is an e-mail address for your complaints, but there is no easy to use report system. Parents may have concerns about revealing the identity of the child via his/her e-mail address.
CRITERIA
Rules, zero tolerance
The site's staff must deal with rule breaking in an effective way and have a zero tolerance policy on child abuse, bullying and cybersex.
REPORT
The site terms and conditions implicitly proscribe child abuse, bullying and cybersex.
Rules, zero tolerance
The site's staff must deal with rule breaking in an effective way and have a zero tolerance policy on child abuse, bullying and cybersex.
REPORT
The site terms and conditions implicitly proscribe child abuse, bullying and cybersex.
CRITERIA
Contact forms
The site has a way for parents to contact staff with their concerns, which are dealt with effectively.
REPORT
There is a e-mail address so that parents can contact staff with their concerns.
Contact forms
The site has a way for parents to contact staff with their concerns, which are dealt with effectively.
REPORT
There is a e-mail address so that parents can contact staff with their concerns.
CRITERIA
Helpdesk/in-house help system
The site provides an in-house help system, examples of this include: a 'helpdesk' chat room, a help and support forum, a knowledge base, and dedicated email addresses for support.
REPORT
Miniclip provides a forum for help and an support e-mail address.
Helpdesk/in-house help system
The site provides an in-house help system, examples of this include: a 'helpdesk' chat room, a help and support forum, a knowledge base, and dedicated email addresses for support.
REPORT
Miniclip provides a forum for help and an support e-mail address.
CRITERIA
Ignore/block functionality
The option to ignore/block a person in chat rooms, profiles, forums etc. should be available.
REPORT
There is no clear indication of ignore/block functionality in forums or games.
Ignore/block functionality
The option to ignore/block a person in chat rooms, profiles, forums etc. should be available.
REPORT
There is no clear indication of ignore/block functionality in forums or games.
CRITERIA
Probationary training of new staff
New site staff/moderators have a probationary/training period where they are monitored more closely and have powers restricted before becoming full staff members/moderators.
REPORT
There is no clear indication of such a policy anywhere on the site.
Probationary training of new staff
New site staff/moderators have a probationary/training period where they are monitored more closely and have powers restricted before becoming full staff members/moderators.
REPORT
There is no clear indication of such a policy anywhere on the site.
CRITERIA
Protection from predators
There is a clear policy on dealing with predatory behaviour which includes dealing with the offender, protecting users and notifying the necessary authorities.
REPORT
Miniclip will comply with subponeas as necessary and will notify authorities if someone violates the Terms of Conditions in a criminal way.
Protection from predators
There is a clear policy on dealing with predatory behaviour which includes dealing with the offender, protecting users and notifying the necessary authorities.
REPORT
Miniclip will comply with subponeas as necessary and will notify authorities if someone violates the Terms of Conditions in a criminal way.
CRITERIA
Safety guidelines
The site provides suitable advice on safe use and how to report trouble, or links to the Privacy Commission's safety guides (with the link in a clear and easy to find place)
REPORT
Site provides advice on safe use of the Internet by making a mention of their Internet safety guidelines in the privacy policy, but not site-specific advice.
Safety guidelines
The site provides suitable advice on safe use and how to report trouble, or links to the Privacy Commission's safety guides (with the link in a clear and easy to find place)
REPORT
Site provides advice on safe use of the Internet by making a mention of their Internet safety guidelines in the privacy policy, but not site-specific advice.
CRITERIA
Staff awareness
The site has one or more members of staff who are fully aware of child issues online (having a staff member pass the special course coming soon automatically qualify for this)
REPORT
Site staff indicate awareness by making a mention of their Internet safety guidelines in the privacy policy
Staff awareness
The site has one or more members of staff who are fully aware of child issues online (having a staff member pass the special course coming soon automatically qualify for this)
REPORT
Site staff indicate awareness by making a mention of their Internet safety guidelines in the privacy policy
