Google has updated its policy on parental supervision for teenage users on a Family Account. It now requires parental approval before a 13-year-old can remove the supervision features from their account.

Previously, the company's system would email children as they approached their 13th birthday. This email informed them of their new ability to "graduate" from parental oversight without needing permission.

Parental Pushback Prompts Change

The policy drew considerable criticism from parents and online safety advocates. A LinkedIn post describing the practice as "predatory" and "grooming for profit" went viral, drawing widespread attention to the issue. That's partly because it was made by Melissa McKay, the president of the Digital Childhood Institute.

She argued that Google was improperly inserting itself into family boundaries. She also framed the corporation's direct communication with minors as an attempt to replace parental guidance with corporate platforms.

In response to the backlash, Google announced a planned policy update. Kate Charlet, a Google executive, confirmed the change in a separate social media post. She said the the transition to an unrestricted account should be a "collaborative family decision." (Source: linkedin.com)

Impact of Removing Supervision

When supervision is removed on a Family Account, a teen gains significantly more autonomy over their account. This includes access to the unrestricted version of YouTube instead of YouTube Kids and the ability to add cards to Google Wallet.

Meanwhile parents lose many of their oversight capabilities. They can no longer set screen time limits, block specific apps, or require location sharing. Financial monitoring, such as viewing transactions or approving purchases, is also disabled. (Source: lifehacker.com)

The new policy means these parental controls will now remain in place by default for users over 13. They can only be turned off when a parent manually approves the change within the Family Link system.

What's Your Opinion?

Do you believe tech companies should be allowed to contact minors directly about parental control settings? At what age do you think a teenager is ready for an unsupervised online experience? Does this policy change from Google adequately address the concerns raised by parents?