Securly Blocks Google AI Mode and AI Overviews For K-12 Schools

Securly AI Governance now gives districts control over AI-generated answers in student Google searches

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Securly, the K-12 student digital safety and wellness leader, today announced that the "Restrict AI Mode" setting in Securly Filter, which already blocked Google's AI Mode, now also blocks AI Overview. With the setting on, students receive standard Google search results without AI-generated summaries, so districts decide when students see AI-written answers.

Google shows AI-generated content in two places: AI Mode, a chat-style search experience, and AI Overview, a summary that appears automatically at the top of results on the All tab. Because AI Overview appears on ordinary searches, students in schools that block AI tools could still see AI-generated answers. When Restrict AI Mode is on, Securly Filter hides and/or redirects students away from AI Mode and AI Overview, depending on filtering method. Other Google search options like Images, Videos, and News remain available, and SafeSearch settings are unaffected.

"Since Google introduced AI summaries, districts who want to restrict AI usage have had to take time away from serving students to find solutions to block this feature. A search engine shouldn't decide when AI shows up in front of students; districts should," said Spence Mallder, Securly's Chief Technology Officer. "This update lets a school that has blocked AI, keep it blocked, and lets a school that's ready open it up for the classes that need it."

Administrators turn the setting on or off per policy in the Filter Policy Editor. A district can keep Google's AI features off for younger students while allowing them for an older class, and change that decision as its AI guidance develops.

For the AI tools districts choose to allow, Securly AI Transparency gives leaders visibility into student AI use across platforms such as Gemini, ChatGPT, and other ed-tech AI tools. Administrators can view usage by school, grade, or classroom, set guardrails on AI conversations, and flag concerning conversations for review.

Between December 2025 and October 2026, AI Transparency gave 1,806 districts in 39 states visibility into more than 6.2 million student AI conversations.

About Securly:

For more than a decade, Securly has set the gold standard for student digital safety and critical IT infrastructure, keeping over 20 million students across 27,000 schools safe, secure, and ready to learn. This includes managing over 14 million school-issued devices and reviewing 75 million student digital activities daily. Securly empowers educators, counselors, and IT staff with cutting-edge tools and actionable insights, while always prioritizing student privacy. All Securly products meet strict FERPA and COPPA compliance requirements and are SOC 2 certified, putting student data privacy at the center of our work. Learn more at http://www.securly.com.

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SOURCE Securly