Thursday 12 November 2026

Will my child’s school lose Google Search if it turns off AI?

Yes.

From early 2027, a school that wants no AI on pupils’ Google accounts will have to switch Google Search off as well.

Google is letting schools switch its AI off for pupils. The catch is what goes with it.

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Every Thursday we answer the questions parents are really asking. Free.

Quick answers

Is my child using ChatGPT for homework?

Probably, some of the time.

Most teenagers now use AI chatbots for schoolwork, and many parents don’t know.

Is 10 too young for a phone?

For a smartphone, yes.

Two large studies published in 2025 found that the younger children were when they got one, the more likely they were to have problems with sleep, weight and mental health.

Is screen time bad for toddlers?

Not in small, shared amounts.

A lot of it, watched alone, is linked to toddlers hearing and saying fewer words.

Sources in the full answer · checked 10 November 2026
Wired Parents tracker

Social media bans for children by country

7Law in force
2Passed · not yet in force
11Bills in progress
28Proposed

Latest: New Zealand's ban waits on the election count, and tech firms sue to block California's under-16 law.

Last updated: 12 November 2026 · 48 countries & regions
Platform Safety Scorecard

How safe are your child’s apps?

Twenty-two platforms, rated independently across seven categories, with a recommended age for each.

Choose your child’s age and the apps they actually use, and you’ll get a breakdown showing where the risks sit rather than a single verdict.

Every score has a date and a source behind it.

Step 1

How old is your child?

Under 10 10–12 13–15 16+
The number
180

Homework tasks AI Mode in Google Search answered in full when Common Sense Media tested it.

Common Sense Media, AI risk assessment of Google Search, 15 July 2026
What’s supposed to happen next
27 NovNew Zealand. The final election result decides whether the under-16 bill comes back.
DecemberCyprus. A bill setting 15 as the minimum age is due in parliament.
DecemberUK. The full scope of the under-16 ban is due, including whether marketplaces and services such as YouTube Kids are covered, ahead of a start in spring 2027.
1 JanGreece and California. Greece's under-15 ban takes effect, and so does California's under-16 feeds law unless a court blocks it.
Early 2027Google. Gemini and Search off by default on pupils' school accounts. Google hasn't given a date, only that schools will hear more in the coming months.
31 MarTurkey. Deadline for existing accounts to be age-checked; unverified under-15 accounts must close.

You’re not the only one asking these questions.

Will Instagram limit my teen to two hours a day?5 November 2026 Does TikTok have parental controls?15 October 2026 Is age verification safe?8 October 2026

Latest Stories

Laws and bansIs Australia’s social media ban working? AIIs my child using ChatGPT for homework? SafetyIs 10 too young for a phone? SafetyIs screen time bad for toddlers? Apps and gamesHow do I put parental controls on an iPad?
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Your child will ask these eight questions. Be ready.

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