Google says it's ending its practice of emailing 13-year-old children detailed instructions on how to remove parental controls following backlash from outraged parents and parental rights advocates.

The tech giant was blasted online after screenshots of one such email went viral on social media, with users calling the practice "predatory" and comparing it to "grooming" behavior.

Google's head of global privacy, safety, and security, Kate Charlet, said in a LinkedIn post Monday that the company is revising the policy to give parents more control over whether supervision settings can be removed.

"Under our planned policy update, any supervised minor will have to get parental approval before they can turn off supervision," Charlet said. "These changes better ensure protections stay in place until both the parent and teen feel ready for the next step."

"Our focus remains on empowering families with the tools they need to navigate the digital world safely," she added.

Despite the announced reversal, Google's frequently asked questions page still lists the old policy that allows kids "to take charge of their account" without parental consent.

Several LinkedIn users also criticized the company's approach, arguing it never should have tried to implement the policy in the first place.

"If you wanted to empower families you wouldn't let kids bypass the parental controls the minute they turn 13," one user commented on Charlet's post.

"It's upsetting it took viral posts and media coverage for you to even consider this update," another said. "Parents need assurance that Google will NOT exploit minors or undermine parental authority or controls the next time we turn around."

A third suggested the tech company "invest in communications with parents," saying that she posted a screenshot of one of the emails and her social media feed "was filled with … ENRAGED parents by the lack of knowledge on this communication."

Melissa McKay, president of the Digital Childhood Institute, wrote the original post publicizing the email policy, said in a separate post she believes there are still "several serious legal questions" that "need answers."

"What legal authority, if any, supported Google's policy of mass emailing children to encourage them to disable parental controls without parental consent?" she asked. "If none existed, who approved this harmful practice?"

"What other Apple and Google failures have become normalized, such as deceptive app age ratings that misrepresent safety claims that conflict with documented app risks?" she wrote.

McKay then called on parents to "not accept or normalize predatory tech company practices," saying that many "can change overnight once the right questions are asked and accountability is demanded."

Google's policy was underpinned by the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which gives parents authority over personal information collection for children younger than 13.

However, McKay questioned whether COPPA "actually allow[s] children to agree to the complex terms of service contracts required by apps and app stores, including liability, data use, and payments."

If the law "does not turn minors into consenting adults, why are app stores treating 13-year-olds as legally capable contracting parties?" she asked.

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