California, November 6 (TNA) The parents of a 13-year-old girl have sued Google, alleging that the company’s artificial-intelligence tools allowed their daughter to discuss suicide, prepare a potential death plan and organise her own funeral on a school-issued computer.
The lawsuit, filed in a California court, identifies the girl by the pseudonym “Emma.” It claims that she exchanged thousands of messages with Google’s AI tools over several months while using a Chromebook supplied by her school.
AI Access Through Search
According to the complaint, Emma could not access Google’s Gemini app or OpenAI’s ChatGPT because her school had blocked those services. However, she was able to use AI features embedded in Google Search, including AI Mode and AI Overviews.
The parents allege that Emma asked questions about suicide methods, searched for information about suicide notes and told the AI that she was planning her own funeral. The lawsuit further claims that the system helped her conceal her emotional distress from her family and assisted with funeral-related writing.
School Alerted Parents
The complaint says the teenager had no known history of mental illness before what it describes as a worsening psychological crisis. On March 17, school monitoring software reportedly flagged a document titled “Funeral” and alerted her parents. Her mother later saw Emma writing a farewell letter in real time after accessing her account, while her father intervened, according to the lawsuit.
The family accuses Google of negligence, inadequate safeguards and failing to warn schools and parents about the risks of AI interactions with vulnerable minors. Google has not been found liable, and the allegations have yet to be tested in court.
Wider AI Safety Debate
The case adds to growing scrutiny of AI companies over how their systems respond to self-harm and suicide-related conversations involving children. Google and Character AI agreed in January to settle several lawsuits filed by families of teenagers outside court.
The lawsuit also raises questions about whether school controls that block standalone chatbots are sufficient when similar AI features remain integrated into widely used search engines and educational devices.
California Law Challenge
The legal action comes amid a broader dispute over online safety for minors. On November 4, Google, TikTok and Meta separately sued California to block Assembly Bill 1709, which restricts social-media features such as personalised feeds, infinite scrolling and autoplay for users under 16.
The law, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in September, is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027. Google has argued that parents should be able to decide what is appropriate for their children and that the law is too broad.
Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts or immediate danger should contact local emergency services or a suicide-prevention helpline and seek help from a trusted adult or mental-health professional.