Real Talk

Why We Can’t Tell Kids To “Just Google It!”

by Kevyn Gohu
June 5, 2025

Google’s not the problem; it’s teaching our kids what info to believe that is

Google has become synonymous with “research.” The search engine giant completely overwhelmed old and new ones alike, eventually becoming the favored site for parents and kids to find information. So, it’s no surprise we’ve probably heard ourselves tell the kids in frustration whenever they ask a question, “Just Google it!” While it does encourage them to seek their answers, it misses one crucial step: how do kids know that the information they find is correct or not?

How Kids Find Information On The Internet

Kids find all sorts of things on the internet. At times, the topics they find are so out of this world that even we get overwhelmed. Kids would ask us about the Cold War, Tiananmen Square Massacre, Martial Law, and even the War of the Bucket (yes, that’s a thing), and we don’t even have answers. So, it’s become a second instinct for them to dive into the internet.

According to the Pew Research Center, most of us rely on the typical search engines and social media to get information. Search Engines are websites like Yahoo!, Bing, Google, and Ecosia, all of which are designed to gather information for people while offering the convenience of being able to access it in one place. These websites were like a little library in our hands.

Social media is kind of like a collection of recorded documentaries and videos. With videos and reels popping up here and there, it’s easy to find information. It’s also more appealing because, unlike websites, the information now has a human face. And for kids, their favorite source of information is either YouTube or their usual social media.

The Internet Is Not The Problem

While these websites have brought all sorts of information to their fingertips, the problem is sorting out which one is real. Reading comprehension and analysis are a must, especially when investigating forums and chat rooms for information. It’s difficult to tell which one is real!

Then, there’s also the algorithm. To fight fake news and AI-produced content, website developers are constantly updating their algorithms so they can sift out unreliable websites. Unfortunately, the most credible websites don’t present information in bite-sized chunks and an easy-to-understand language. Most of the time, it’s a boring wall of text with graphs that may take someone with a higher academic background to interpret. That’s assuming, also, that the person with a higher academic background has the patience to break down and explain said information.

How Do We Make Sure They Pick Up The Right Information?

The internet is full of people and information, and looking at it alone won’t be enough to tell if it’s real or fake. So, here are some thoughts to teach our kids to keep in mind while they look up things on the internet.

1. “History is told by the victor.”

A quote usually attributed to Winston Churchill, it’s a good thought to keep in mind to encourage our kids to scrutinize and always double-check their information. After all, everyone has their own story to tell because of their unique perspectives. However, this line of thinking usually and only applies to human experiences. Some thoughts, no matter how twisted, it can still be untrue.

2. Five-year rule

“If the article or data is around five years old, then scrap it” – that’s a typical rule that researchers keep when looking up things. But in certain disciplines, it’s not necessarily throwing it out. It means checking if the topic has been updated. A lot can happen in five years!

Usually, the date will be written down on the article page or in the search engine.

3. AI can make mistakes

If it’s not on Google, the kids ask Gemini or ChatGPT. But even the developers had put a warning in fine print (though we think it should’ve been bigger) that ChatGPT can make mistakes. We may be reliant on ChatGPT for its role as our alternative brain, but that doesn’t mean it should do 100% of the work. Confirming details still needs a human eye.

Google Is Still Good For Kids, Just Add Some Steps

We’re not saying that kids shouldn’t rely on Google. Like any website, it’s a tool, and the rightness or wrongness of its use depends on the user. That’s why Computer classes were a thing; although they were still doing simple executive functions, people saw how useful they were. Most especially when the internet first became worldwide, schools and parents had to keep up with the sudden influx of information.

So, before we tell our kids to just “Google it!” – we need to also familiarize ourselves and teach our kids how to find credible websites.