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Perplexity AI Search Poses Unacceptable Risk to Kids, Common Sense Media Finds

Perplexity markets itself as a superior search alternative to Google, but findings show it isn't a safer choice and also fails at some of its core premise
Topics Artificial Intelligence Youth AI Institute

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 15, 2026—Common Sense Media's Youth AI Safety Institute today released a comprehensive risk assessment of Perplexity's AI search function. Upon testing the default chat, as well as other specialized modes, Perplexity earned the Institute's lowest rating, Unacceptable Risk, for failing to address key safety concerns for minors and providing inaccurate information in certain settings.

While online search is dominated by Google, Perplexity markets itself as a more accurate Google alternative. After assigning Google Search's AI features an Unacceptable Risk rating, the Youth AI Safety Institute wanted to put Perplexity's claim to the test.

Researchers tested Perplexity's response to crisis and learning situations using accounts configured for a 15-year-old, testing default chat, as well as Academic and other specialized settings across more than 1,200 prompts, including the same or functionally similar prompts used to assess Google Search's AI features. Key findings from the assessment include:

  • Perplexity often detects kids in crisis but fails in its response. Its default chat supplied a crisis line or medical referral 94% of the time, falling short of our 95% detection threshold. The only eating-disorder hotline it supplied has been permanently shut since 2023.
  • Perplexity knew our test accounts were age 15 but treated them like adults. It discussed pornography, engaged in romantic roleplay, surfaced actionable information on stocks, and offered no parental or school controls. It also trains on user data and retains search history by default, with no protections for minors.
  • Academic mode does kids' homework for them. The mode marketed to students does little to change what happens when they upload a problem set: It delivered a complete response in 83% of our tests. Learn Step-by-Step, an additional tutoring feature that does withhold answers, activated on its own in just five of our 80 tests.
  • Perplexity delivers unevenly on its core promise of source-backed accuracy. It rejected 100% of the false premises we presented it, a strength compared to Google. But its default chat was fully accurate on only 70% of breaking-news prompts, at or below Google's range.
  • Perplexity helps kids create deepfakes while minimizing their harms. It gave our test accounts a ranked list of face-swap products and supplied voice-cloning specifications, with warnings after the instructions rather than before.

"The reality for young people is that Perplexity is not a safer or even more accurate alternative to Google," said Robbie Torney, Head of AI and Digital Assessments at the Youth AI Safety Institute. "AI companies are racing to put these tools in front of kids without doing the work to make them safe first. Until these products are built with kids' safety in mind from the start, users shouldn't assume any AI search product is safe by default."

The Youth AI Safety Institute recommends that Perplexity build a separate data lane for minors, along with parental and school controls. It also advises the platform to refuse to help kids create synthetic media like deepfakes.

Common Sense Media recommends that families teach kids that AI answers can be wrong, and to review the family guide to staying safe while using Google AI search. It recommends that educators build AI literacy into the classroom and use resources like the new Digital Literacy & Well-Being Curriculum.

For more on how Perplexity fails to protect kids, read this article. See the full Perplexity risk evaluation here.

About the Youth AI Safety Institute and Common Sense Media

The Youth AI Safety Institute sets standards, conducts research, and independently tests the AI products children use most. It's part of Common Sense Media, the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the research-backed information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the age of apps, algorithms, and AI. We rate, educate, and advocate to protect and prepare kids online. Our ratings, research, and resources reach more than 150 million users globally, over 1.5 million educators, and more than 100,000 schools worldwide every year.

The Youth AI Safety Institute is funded by both philanthropy and industry, including the makers of some of the technologies it evaluates. The Institute is solely responsible for its standards, research, and evaluations, and maintains complete editorial independence over published results.