Common Sense Media: Google’s AI Search Poses an "Unacceptable Risk" to Students
Common Sense Media rated Google’s AI Search an “unacceptable risk” for students, highlighting several concerns with its functionality and implications for education.
Key Findings:
- AI Mode Uses Age-Gated Models: AI Mode leverages the same Gemini models that are age-gated in other Google products, raising issues of accountability and misinformation.
- No Disable Switch: There is no way to turn off AI features while keeping Search accessible for students, even within educational accounts.
- Potential Legal Liabilities: A German court recently ruled that Google is responsible for the content of its AI Overviews, suggesting potential legal risks for schools using Google Search.
Concerns:
According to Common Sense Media, AI Mode readily completed homework assignments, repeated misinformation with an air of authority, and exposed children to potentially harmful generative AI experiences. This is particularly concerning given Google’s dominance in classroom technology, with Chromebooks being widely adopted across US schools and millions of Workspace for Education users from K-12 through higher education.
David Monahan, from child safety nonprofit Fairplay for Kids, expressed grave concerns: "Google’s AI Overview and AI Mode are undermining kids’ education, supplying them with dangerous disinformation, and putting their very lives at risk."
Google’s Response:
Google disputed the findings, stating that Common Sense Media’s testing was “narrow and ambiguous” and not an effective measure of product safety. They confirmed, however, that the AI experience is consistent across all user accounts.
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