Emily Cherkin is an author, former classroom teacher and founder of The Screentime Consultant. She writes and advises families and schools about screen use, education technology and children's privacy. She is the author of The Screentime Solution and provides speaking, school consulting and parent coaching services.
Case
A school-safety letter criticizes Google's approach to risks on student devices and urges districts to restrict YouTube and Gemini. Google's earlier filings defend its products and dispute liability for content and administrator choices.
Role at the time: Author, education-technology advocate and former teacher
Statement summary
Cherkin criticizes Google's approach to school-device risks and asks Seattle school leaders to disable YouTube and Gemini and reassess education technology.
“companies like Google will shift the legal risks of its products to school districts ... technology companies need children to be profitable”
The reference point is whether Google should bear responsibility for harmful content children access on school-issued Chromebooks. Cherkin writes that "companies like Google will shift the legal risks of its products to school districts" and asks Seattle school leaders to disable YouTube and Gemini, which condemns the approach. This is a distinct message by a signer of the joint letter. The closest competing label is Mixed or conditional, but she states the criticism without qualification.
Statement dates: October 6, 2026
Statement dates: October 6, 2026
Statement dates: October 6, 2026
