Abishek D Praphullalumar
Google is expanding Gemini access to children under 13 starting next week, as revealed in emails sent to parents using Google Family Link. Until now, the AI-powered chatbot was only accessible to teens and educational accounts, but this move will open the tool to much younger users, sparking fresh privacy and safety debates.
AI use among minors is already a complex issue, but Google appears eager not to leave an entire demographic untapped. While the company assures parents that Gemini interactions with kids won’t be used for AI training, many are questioning if young children can critically assess chatbot responses a challenge even for adults.
Google says parents should actively teach children how to evaluate Gemini’s outputs, but critics argue the burden of oversight is shifting too much onto families. An official rollout email will notify when each Family Link account is eligible. As AI systems like Gemini creep further into younger audiences, expect conversations around tech responsibility and child safety to escalate sharply.
