Now they have really done it. According to the president of the Digital Childhood Institute, Melissa McKay, Google is sending out emails to minors to inform them when and how to disable the parental control.
It hasn’t been long since reports began circulating about Google reaching out directly to children, and the practice is raising serious concerns. Apparently, Google has started emailing 12-year-olds to inform them that they will soon be able to disable parental controls once they turn 13. Why 13? Because that’s the age at which parental supervision can legally be removed under Google’s policies.
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When children first enter the digital world, parents often rely on tools like parental controls to help ensure a safe and age-appropriate online experience. That’s why a recent LinkedIn post by Melissa McKay sparked significant noise online.
In her post, McKay shared an email that Google had sent directly to her 12-year-old son. According to the message, he was “eligible” to remove parental supervision, a claim supported by Google’s own help pages. The email not only explained how to disable parental controls but also highlighted several supposed “benefits” of doing so.
Google is asserting authority over a boundary that does not belong to them. It reframes parents as a temporary inconvenience to be outgrown and positions corporate platforms as the default replacement.
McKay’s reaction was one of understandable anger. Messages like this risk undermining parental oversight, especially if parents are unaware such emails are being sent. Without parental controls, children may gain unrestricted access to apps, content, and communication channels, enable location tracking, and spend unlimited time online without safeguards.
McKay is not alone in her concern. Many parents and users point out that the internet is filled with misinformation, inappropriate content, and adult material. Parental controls remain one of the most effective tools for monitoring and guiding a child’s online behavior.
Call it what it is. Grooming for engagement. Grooming for data. Grooming minors for profit.
And it’s difficult to ignore the underlying business reality. Children’s accounts are far less lucrative than adult ones, and Google’s systems appear carefully designed around the time when they turn 13, the moment when children transition from protected users to data-generating consumers.
McKay also raised an important legal gray area. While there may be no explicit law authorizing Google to contact minors directly, there is also no clear prohibition against it. That ambiguity alone is reason enough for parents to stay alert.
For parents with children nearing their 13th birthday, the takeaway is simple: better safe than sorry. Keep an eye on your inbox, and your child’s, and be aware of any communication coming directly from Google regarding this topic.
"Google emailed my youngest child today to tell him he is almost 13 and eligible to remove parental controls... A trillion dollar corporation is directly contacting every child to tell them they are old enough to "graduate" from parental supervision."https://t.co/KfIbmYRS2m
— Matt Stoller (@matthewstoller) January 11, 2026
Did your child already receive such an email? What's your opinion? Let us know in the comments!