Google's AI Deemed Unfit as Primary Information Source for Children
In its latest assessment, Common Sense Media said that AI Overview and AI Mode in Google Search repeatedly failed to recognise signs of crisis among young users, gave inappropriate advice, and produced inconsistent answers. The features also reportedly cannot be switched off by parents or schools.
The assessment was carried out through more than 2,600 searches using accounts configured for users aged 11 and 15, with SafeSearch enabled.
The results showed that Google’s AI often answered with confidence, but not always accurately. In some cases, the system also completed schoolwork entirely, raising concerns that children may become overly dependent on the technology.
Common Sense Media also highlighted that AI answers frequently changed from one search to the next. On a number of history questions, the results given were not always the same.
This situation is considered risky because Google Search is one of the main gateways for children and teenagers seeking everyday information. The organisation believes the problem is not merely one of accuracy, but also of safety.
The risks posed by AI to children and teenagers do not stop at inaccurate information. In February 2026, UNICEF warned of the growing abuse of AI to create fake or manipulated sexual images of children. UNICEF described such deepfakes as a form of sexual violence against children.
UNICEF also cited a joint study with ECPAT and INTERPOL across 11 countries, which found that at least 1.2 million children reported having been victims of image manipulation into sexual deepfakes within the past year.
The organisation believes child protection in the digital space needs to be strengthened, including through prevention, digital literacy, and tighter safeguards on AI technology.
Unlike standalone AI chatbots, the AI features in Google Search form part of a search engine used by millions of people every day.
Common Sense Media noted that, to date, neither parents nor schools have the option to disable AI Overview and AI Mode in Google Search. Yet the organisation’s earlier surveys showed that AI summaries in search engines are among the AI features most frequently used by children aged 9 to 17.
For this reason, Common Sense Media recommends that Google give families and schools greater control over how AI features are used by underage children.