Google says it is ending its practice of emailing 13-year-olds step-by-step instructions on how to remove parental controls after backlash from parents and parental rights advocates.
The tech giant came under fire after screenshots of an email went viral on social media, with users describing the policy as “predatory” and “grooming” behavior. Google’s head of global privacy, safety and security, Kate Charlet, wrote in a LinkedIn post on Monday that the policy was being revised to allow parents to choose whether or not to remove parental controls.
“Under our planned policy update, any supervised minor will have to get parental approval before they can turn off supervision. These changes better ensure protections stay in place until both the parent and teen feel ready for the next step,” Charlet said. “Our focus remains on empowering families with the tools they need to navigate the digital world safely.”
Google did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
Google’s frequently asked questions page still lists the old policy that allows kids “to take charge of their account” without parental consent.
Several LinkedIn users expressed discontent with this policy update, saying that it shouldn’t have been the protocol to allow children to remove controls in the first place.
“If you wanted to empower families you wouldn’t let kids bypass the parental controls the minute they turn 13,” one user stated.
“It’s upsetting it took viral posts and media coverage for you to even consider this update,” another said. “Parents need assurance that Google will NOT exploit minors or undermine parental authority or controls the next time we turn around.”
Melissa McKay, president of the Digital Childhood Institute, who wrote the original post exposing the email, asserted that there were still “several serious legal questions” that “need answers.”
“What legal authority, if any, supported Google’s policy of mass emailing children to encourage them to disable parental controls without parental consent? If none existed, who approved this harmful practice?” she asked. “What other Apple and Google failures have become normalized, such as deceptive app age ratings that misrepresent safety claims that conflict with documented app risks?”
“Please do not accept or normalize predatory tech company practices. Many of these practices can change overnight once the right questions are asked and accountability is demanded.”
Google’s now-former policy clung to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) as rational, which gives parents authority over personal information collection of children 13 and younger to protect young kids’ privacy. However, McKay questioned whether this law “actually allow[s] children to agree to the complex terms of service contracts required by apps and app stores, including liability, data use, and payments” and “If COPPA does not turn minors into consenting adults, why are app stores treating 13-year-olds as legally capable contracting parties?”
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