Parents, students, and teachers are planning a protest outside Google's Chicago office on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, to oppose the company's restrictions on Google search in schools and the integration of generative AI. Google recently announced that students will not be able to access its search engine in schools that ban AI use, citing the inability to offer an AI-free version due to the technology's deep integration. Alphabet, Google's parent company, will disable all AI features in its education apps for K-12 students unless school administrators explicitly enable them.
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) announced on Monday that it will block generative AI tools like Gemini, ChatGPT, and Claude on student accounts to protect student privacy and comply with federal and state privacy laws, including FERPA, COPPA, and SOPPA. Despite CPS pulling its Gemini chatbot rollout in August following family pushback, protesters argue that Gemini AI features remain embedded in every CPS student's Google account. The protest, organized by several education and advocacy groups, aims to highlight concerns over data privacy and the mental health impacts of AI technology in schools.
The organizers also point to a lawsuit filed in California earlier this year, which alleges that AI Mode search on a 7th-grade student's Chromebook contributed to a mental health crisis, including planned suicide attempts. The protest is set for 4 p.m. outside Google's offices in the 300 block of Morgan St., in Chicago's West Loop. The group claims that even with generative AI disabled, data from CPS-approved apps continues to flow to AI companies without parental notice or consent.