See where Epic stands on book bans, and how we safely fuel curiosity and learning for kids everywhere.
We’ve got something to say.
As you may have seen in recent news, right now bans on kids books—and platforms like ours that provide access to them—are sweeping the country. Book bans are nothing new. But last week, overnight, Epic was removed from a school district in Tennessee due to concerns about content on our platform, leaving tens of thousands of kids and their teachers without access to our library.
We understand that book bans stem from anxieties about what’s happening in the world, but we believe there is a better way. At Epic, we’re about removing barriers, not putting more up, and coping through education and understanding. Let’s face it, reading brings endless opportunities to learn more, explore more and be more. It takes kids beyond their own backyards and helps them grasp and cope with what’s happening in the world around them.
Built to be the most kid-safe, kid-friendly, kid-first platform of its kind, Epic was designed to do just that, with high-quality, age-appropriate, educational content that reflects diverse experiences and encourages acceptance, empathy and inclusion. Now, eight years later, we’re more committed than ever to providing a safe place for kids to read. Here’s how.
100% human-curated, kid-appropriate content.
Giving kids the freedom to choose their books starts with protecting them from inappropriate, harmful content. That’s why so much care goes into what we make available on our platform. Every single piece of content in our library is handpicked and vetted by a passionate team of experts on children’s books, education and entertainment—unlike other content platforms that use algorithms or allow users to upload their own. This personal approach allows us to offer kids endless choice in an environment you can feel good about.
Free for Educators & their students in the classroom.
Epic is a consumer brand, designed originally for home use, but early on we recognized that access to a safe, trustworthy content library like ours would be of huge value not just for kids, but to those who devote so much of their time educating and helping to raise them: our teachers. So we made a decision: to give Epic to teachers for free. We don’t take taxpayer money or charge school administrators or districts to use it. We simply give educators free Epic accounts that give tens of millions of students access to a vast library of enriching content.
Educators also have access to helpful tools to create collections, support curriculum, assign reading and monitor student progress. This greatly expands kids’ access to books beyond the classroom and even the school library, so every kid can find subjects right for their age, interest and reading level. And if they choose, teachers can block any book, for any reason, at any time.
Their experience is in your hands: Tools designed for your peace of mind.
We know that as a caregiver, you want to take part in their reading journey and trust that they’re safe exploring on our platform. That’s why we built, and continually evolve, tools that allow you to monitor what kids are reading and watching on Epic, and just like teachers, choose to block certain content so you can feel at ease knowing you’re ultimately in the driver’s seat. These tools also allow you to track reading progress, share book recommendations, high-five accomplishments and more. Because in the end, we know that you know your kids best.
Epic was founded on a single goal: to remove barriers between kids and books. Access to great books should never be taken from a kid who wants to learn. And we want you to know we will always be on your side when it comes to giving kids safe access to high-quality, diverse books that fuel curiosity, a desire to learn about the world around them and a love of reading.
From all of us at Epic, we want to thank those who have stood with Epic through this ban. Let’s stand together to inspire kids to discover the infinite possibilities of today so they can help build a better tomorrow through reading and learning.
