Google is sending emails to 13-year-olds, instructing them on how to remove parental controls without parental consent.
Google's policy allows children to "bypass" parental controls once they turn 13, eliminating any safe search filters that parents have applied to block access to inappropriate content and preventing parents from supervising their children's online activity, the Telegraph reports.
Child safety advocates are sounding the alarm after screenshots of the email went viral online, accusing the company of "predatory" practices and "targeting" children.
"When your child turns 13 (or the applicable age in your country), they have the option to switch to an unsupervised Google Account," the FAQ page explains.
"Before a child turns 13, parents will receive an email notifying them that their child will be eligible to take over their account on their birthday, after which you will no longer be able to manage their account. On the day they turn 13, children can choose whether they want to manage their Google Account themselves or have their parent continue to manage it. As a parent, you can also choose to remove supervision at any time when the child is over the age of 13," the announcement says. /Telegraph/
