A new report from child safety watchdog Common Sense Media has concluded that Google’s AI-powered Search poses an unacceptable risk to young users, prompting calls for schools to discontinue use of Google products until AI features can be disabled.
Common Sense Media has released a report raising alarms about Google’s integration of artificial intelligence into its Search platform, arguing that the technology presents “unacceptable risks” to students and should be removed from classrooms entirely.
The report explains that Google’s AI-powered Search features, including AI Mode and AI Overviews, expose students to potentially harmful generative AI technology without adequate safeguards. The organization’s senior director of AI programs, Robbie Torney, emphasized Google’s dominant position in both search and education markets, noting that the company’s widespread adoption of Chromebooks and Google Workspace for Education means millions of students from kindergarten through post-graduate levels use Google products daily.
The primary concern centers on Google’s AI Mode for Search, which launched with immediate availability to all users, including education accounts. According to experts, this differs significantly from other Google AI products, where Gemini models are age-gated. Amanda Bickerstaff, deputy director of AI for Education, described AI Mode as a backdoor for students to access unsafe generative AI experiences.
“There is no reason why a 10-year-old, 13-year-old, or even 15-year-old should see an AI Overview or have AI Mode,” Bickerstaff stated. “When teaching AI literacy, the first step is to be intentional. These modes are the opposite. You don’t go to a search engine to get a chatbot answer, you go to search for real things.”
Researchers have documented multiple problems with Google’s AI-powered Search tools. Studies show AI Overviews are prone to repeating misinformation, an issue that persists despite being identified early in the product’s rollout. The design of these features suggests an air of authority that can confuse users, particularly children who may not recognize they are interacting with AI-generated content rather than verified information.
Common Sense Media’s testing revealed that Google’s AI tools readily complete homework assignments for minor users. Experts warn this combination of misleading design and the agreeable nature of chatbots may lead students to unknowingly cheat or, at minimum, impede genuine learning. Bickerstaff characterized the AI integration as developmentally inappropriate, complicating educators’ efforts to build literacy skills in students.
The challenge for schools is compounded by Google’s failure to provide options for disabling AI features while maintaining access to Search. Parents can disable Search entirely or block Google.com for child accounts they manage, and school administrators could theoretically do the same for Workspace for Education accounts. However, this would effectively eliminate access to Google Search for all users, creating what Bickerstaff described as an impossible choice for educators.