Former Google safety chief says AI could harm children more than social media
Tom Siegel, who led Google’s trust and safety team from 2004 to 2019, told Reuters that AI may pose a greater danger to kids than social media. He warned that the industry is repeating mistakes made by platforms that now face massive lawsuits and regulatory pressure, and that relying on self‑regulation is unrealistic.
Key points
- Tom Siegel, former Google trust‑and‑safety VP, warns AI could harm children more than social media
- Siegel joins Common Sense Media to lead its Youth AI Safety Institute, backed by Anthropic and OpenAI Foundation
- He urges stronger age verification, AI feature toggles, and independent safety standards for AI products
Siegel announced he will serve as the first executive director of the Youth AI Safety Institute, a research arm launched by the nonprofit Common Sense Media. The institute is backed by Anthropic and the OpenAI Foundation. Siegel said AI firms should adopt stronger age‑verification, add toggles to disable AI features in search, and develop independent safety standards similar to car‑crash testing. Google and OpenAI each said they have parental controls and age‑assurance methods, while Anthropic did not comment.
Siegel’s move reflects growing concern among insiders that AI tools used by millions of minors lack sufficient guardrails, raising risks from suicide to reduced critical thinking.
AI could harm children more than social media, Ex-Google safety chief warns
usatoday.com · 22 September 2026
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