Consent for Google's "additional services"

[enjay]

Google recently changed things with their "additional services" meaning we have to confirm parental consent for under 18s. Is that actually necessary, or is there a similar exemption for "public tasks" as there is in GDPR? We want to start using NotebookLM with Sixth Formers.

[localzuk]

Parental consent for additional services has been needed for a while. For example, Youtube needs parental consent if people are logging into it, due to its use of the data for its own purposes such as advertising (and not simply to gain access).

[SamBrooker]

I spoke to someone at the Google stand at BETT about this. He basically said if you want students to carry on using these Google services, you have to tick the consent box otherwise they won't be able to log in with their Google account. He said the best way to get consent is to include it in the IT policy form all new students sign when joining the school. However, some services don't always require a Google account to be used, therefore if consent isn't given for that service, they can still use it, they just won't be able to log in with their Google account.

 

I'd imagine NotebookLM requires a Google account before you can even access it so ticking consent is the only way forward with that. 

[enjay]

Looking at it more, I'm not sure it is even as simple as consent as it isn't an "additional service", it is listed separately within their generative AI section. When you enable it for a particular OU in Google, you have to click confirming you aren't giving it anyone under 18. Is this a non-starter in that case?

[SamBrooker]

We don't give any AI to any students as I know before they were saying it was for 18+ only, I don't know if they have changed anything around that since. I created a new OU in Google just for AI users which I have added staff members in who need AI. I then applied Gemini license and turned on NotebookLM access for that OU.

[enjay]

16 minutes ago, SamBrooker said:

We don't give any AI to any students as I know before they were saying it was for 18+ only, I don't know if they have changed anything around that since. I created a new OU in Google just for AI users which I have added staff members in who need AI. I then applied Gemini license and turned on NotebookLM access for that OU.

 

Oddly Gemini appears to be different again, that is 13+ but with consent for under 18s!