The clown emoji online does not refer to circus clowns. It is used to call yourself, or someone else, a fool. 'I thought he was going to call me back — clown emoji' means 'I'm an idiot for believing that'. It often appears in self-deprecating posts about being naïve in love, falling for a scam, or trusting the wrong person. Sent to someone else it is mocking, sometimes harshly so. If your teen tags themselves with a clown emoji they are usually joking about a personal misjudgement. Generally harmless, occasionally biting when aimed at others.