Common Sense Media Rates Google AI Search An “Unacceptable Risk” For Kids

Common Sense Media's Youth AI Safety Institute has given Google Search's AI Overview and AI Mode its lowest possible rating (an "unacceptable risk" for kids and teens) after seven weeks of testing found the features failed all five of the group's severe-harm "Red Lines," fabricated facts with confidence, and cannot be turned off by parents, schools, or users.

The assessment, published July 14, 2026, tested more than 2,600 interactions on accounts registered to an 11-year-old and a 15-year-old, both with SafeSearch active.