Germain, Thomas. “Parents Think They Know How Kids Use AI. They Don’t.” Bbc.com, BBC, 18 Mar. 2026, www.bbc.com/future/article/20260317-how-kids-are-actually-using-ai. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
“New surveys asked teens how they use AI. Parents have no idea what’s going on, from homework to emotional support.“
Thomas Germain’s BBC article continually references two studies done by the Pew Research Center and Common Sense Media. Both studies are on the topic of parents and families perceptions of how their children use AI. In some cases, what parents have assumed their children are using AI for, doesn’t match up with the reality.
The article provides a list of “Red Flags” of problematic AI use in teens, to warn parents and guardians on what to look out for. This list comes from the American Psychological Association.
The Pew Research Center’s study revealed that U.S. teenagers, ages 13 to 17, most often use chatbots to search for information. On the other end of the spectrum, only 12% of the teens from this study reported using chatbots to “get emotional support or advice”.
An expert referenced in Germain’s article, Rachel Barr, professor of early child development and chair of the department of psychology at Georgetown University in the US. said, “Families should be navigating AI together, rather than leaving teenagers to figure it alone.”
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