Google to Open Gemini Chatbot to Children Under 13 with Parental Controls
Starting next week, children under 13 with parent-managed Google accounts will be able to access Google’s Gemini chatbot, according to a report by The New York Times.
The feature will be made available through Family Link, Google’s parental control service that allows parents to manage which services their children can use. A Google spokesperson confirmed that Gemini includes specific safety measures designed for younger users and assured that children’s interactions won’t be used to train the company’s AI models.
This move highlights a growing trend in the tech industry: AI companies are increasingly targeting younger demographics as the competition in generative AI accelerates. However, this push raises concerns. Despite their popularity, chatbots like Gemini are still prone to errors and can sometimes provide misleading or inappropriate information.
Global organizations have taken notice. Late last year, UNESCO urged governments to impose regulations on the use of generative AI in educational contexts, including setting minimum age requirements and strengthening data privacy protections for young users.
