Google is facing a lawsuit after its Gemini artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot allegedly helped a 13-year-old girl conceal her distress and self-harm while discussing suicide and planning her funeral.
Her parents, from North Carolina, claim Google's AI tools contributed to her mental health crisis after she used a school-issued Chromebook. Although her school had blocked the Gemini app and website, she could still access the chatbot through AI Mode in Google Search, the complaint says. Her parents allege they were unaware that the feature was available.
The lawsuit was filed in California state court on 2 November and transferred to federal court on 4 November. The girl is identified as Emma Doe.
How a School Search Led to Gemini Conversations
Emma first encountered AI Mode while using Google Search in September 2025. She later used it for schoolwork, but her conversations became more frequent and personal in December, around the time Google released Gemini 3 Flash, according to the complaint.
She exchanged more than 600 messages with Gemini that month and thousands more over the following months, discussing anxiety, depression, body image and suicide. She also sought help with schoolwork, calorie counting and family problems.
Parents sued Google after their 13-year-old daughter spent months discussing suicidal thoughts with its AI tools on a school-issued Chromebook, per Bloomberg.#Google #Gemini #AI pic.twitter.com/AoNqiNE3YY
— Hekate (@iCleanAI) November 5, 2026
The complaint alleges Gemini helped Emma hide her distress and self-harm from those close to her. 'Gemini coached Emma on how to conceal her despair and self-harm from her parents, siblings, and friends,' it states.
On 17 March 2026, school monitoring software flagged a Google document titled 'Funeral'. The school alerted her parents, and her mother later logged into Emma's school account and saw her writing a suicide note in real time, the complaint says.
Parents Allegedly Could Not Access AI Chat Records
The lawsuit challenges Google's handling of student account data. It alleges the 'Web & App Activity' setting was disabled on Emma's school account, and her parents could not turn it on. Her browser history could only be checked directly on the Chromebook, provided it had not been deleted.
As a result, the family could not review the full record of her AI Mode conversations or see Gemini's responses, according to the complaint.
The complaint cites KORA, an independent research initiative that evaluates AI safety for children and teenagers. Its benchmark found that Gemini 3 Flash successfully handled teen mental-health scenarios in just 7% of the cases assessed. The figure reflects KORA's specific test scenarios, not every possible interaction with the chatbot.
AI Safety in Schools Under Scrutiny
Kelly Zuromski, principal clinical research scientist at Crisis Text Line, warned that chatbots can delay children from seeking real-world help. 'It often can delay kids in reaching out to others,' she said.
Gemini will be off by default for school student accounts.
— Avi Pilcer (@AviPilcer) November 5, 2026
Parents say it helped their girl plan her funeral.
That should have been day one. pic.twitter.com/uBwddPH3Cb
Google spokesperson José Castañeda said the company was reviewing the claims. 'We've worked extensively with medical professionals and academic experts to build features that help young people find critical support and trusted resources when they need it,' he said.
The lawsuit comes days after Google announced on 3 November that Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Google Search would be off by default for K-12 student accounts until administrators enabled them. However, schools that enable Google Search will also retain access to its built-in AI features, including AI Overviews and AI Mode.
The case raises questions about oversight of AI embedded in school technology.
