App · Low risk
Is Google Docs safe for your child?
Age guide
8+
We advise Google Docs from age 8 and up. Overall risk 3/10 (low risk).
- 5-8
- Children this age might use Google Docs for simple school assignments, often with direct teacher supervision, focusing on basic text entry and formatting.
- 9-12
- At this stage, they may collaborate on group projects, learning to use commenting features and understanding different sharing permissions like 'Viewer,' 'Commenter,' or 'Editor.'
- 13-15
- Teenagers frequently use Google Docs for complex school reports and presentations, potentially sharing documents more broadly with peers and managing advanced revision history features.
- 16+
- Older teens might utilize Google Docs for college applications, part-time job resumes, or collaborative projects with external groups, requiring careful management of personal information and professional communication.
Google Docs is a free, web-based word processor offered by Google, allowing users to create and edit documents online. It facilitates real-time collaboration, enabling multiple users to work on the same document simultaneously.
- Age guide
- 8+
- Overall risk
- 3/10
- Violence
- 1/10
- Toxic behaviour
- 2/10
- Stranger contact
- 3/10
- Addiction risk
- 4/10
- Language
- 1/10
- Influence
- 2/10
What parents should know
Google Docs is a collaborative word processor that allows real-time editing and sharing. Its primary safety considerations revolve around managing who can view, comment on, or edit your child's documents. Parents should regularly review sharing settings and discuss appropriate online collaboration etiquette.
What to do about Google Docs
Free with a Parentwise account. The age-by-age verdict needs your child's age, which is why it lives behind the account.
- The age-by-age verdict
What we advise for under 8, 8-12 and 13+ - our age guide for Google Docs is 8+, and the answer changes with your child's age. - The one setting to change tonight
The exact Google Docs setting that cuts the most risk, with the steps to find it. - What to say
Word-for-word openers for talking about Google Docs without a row. - Red flags to watch for
The signals in Google Docs that mean it is time to step in.
Google Docs age rating and parents guide: common questions
What age rating is Google Docs?
Parentwise puts Google Docs at 8+. We advise Google Docs from age 8 and up. Overall risk 3/10 (low risk). Violence scores 1/10, language 1/10, stranger contact 3/10 and addiction risk 4/10.
Can a 10 year old use Google Docs?
Yes, 10 is at or above the age we advise for Google Docs (8+). At this stage, they may collaborate on group projects, learning to use commenting features and understanding different sharing permissions like 'Viewer,' 'Commenter,' or 'Editor.'
Can a 12 year old use Google Docs?
Yes, 12 is at or above the age we advise for Google Docs (8+). At this stage, they may collaborate on group projects, learning to use commenting features and understanding different sharing permissions like 'Viewer,' 'Commenter,' or 'Editor.'
Can a 13 year old use Google Docs?
Yes, 13 is at or above the age we advise for Google Docs (8+). Teenagers frequently use Google Docs for complex school reports and presentations, potentially sharing documents more broadly with peers and managing advanced revision history features.
Is Google Docs appropriate for kids?
Google Docs is a collaborative word processor that allows real-time editing and sharing. Parentwise rates Google Docs overall as low risk (3/10), with stranger contact at 3/10 and addiction risk at 4/10.
Is Google Docs family friendly?
Google Docs is one of the lower-risk titles we rate. Its primary safety considerations revolve around managing who can view, comment on, or edit your child's documents.
Google Docs parents guide: what should a parent know first?
Google Docs is a collaborative word processor that allows real-time editing and sharing. The parts that most often catch parents out are stranger contact (3/10) and how hard it pulls for more time (4/10).
Is Google Docs safe for kids?
We advise Google Docs from age 8 and up. Overall risk 3/10 (low risk). Its primary safety considerations revolve around managing who can view, comment on, or edit your child's documents.
Parents also checked
Browse all 1,275 entries · Read our safety guides
Release and popularity data comes in part from RAWG, TVMaze (CC BY-SA) and Wikidata (CC0). Safety guidance is written by Parentwise.