Major technology corporations have partnered with beloved children’s organizations including Sesame Street, Girl Scouts and Highlights magazine to deliver digital wellness education to young people – while simultaneously facing legal challenges over creating platforms that make it hard for kids to disconnect, according to public records and internal company communications.
These partnerships, funded with tens of millions of dollars from the technology firms, have reached hundreds of thousands of children and families through engaging content featuring beloved characters, vibrant publications and memorable music, company statements reveal.
The sponsorship arrangements between Alphabet’s Google and Meta of these educational initiatives have drawn sharp criticism from advocates who argue the companies are developing fresh approaches to foster social media dependency among children, especially by collaborating with organizations that target kids under 12 – an age medical professionals often consider too young for smartphone use.
These collaborations also undermine confidence in long-established organizations that families have trusted for child-rearing guidance, according to parent advocacy groups, as the technology companies battle numerous legal cases alleging they created habit-forming products that damaged young people’s mental health. One case that proceeded to trial resulted in a $6 million verdict against both companies.
“It’s like Sesame Street teaming up with Philip Morris to teach kids how to smoke cigarettes safely,” said Rose Bronstein, whose 15-year-old son died by suicide after he was bullied online. “How is it any different?”
The platforms operated by Meta and Google earn billions in advertising dollars from companies targeting minors. This financial motivation, according to critics, prevents the companies from providing impartial guidance about screen time.
“Their very business model relies on maximum time on device,” said Emily Boddy, co-lead of U.S. Smartphone Free Childhood, a parent group that advocates against phones in schools. “Their guidance or advice can’t be neutral, and we see that it’s not.”
Companies across industries, from beverage manufacturers to tobacco producers, have historically donated to “trusted institutions” to enhance their public image, according to Nora Kenworthy, a public health researcher at the University of Washington Bothell.
“It’s very much a reputation management strategy,” Kenworthy said.
An examination of thousands of pages of corporate documents released through litigation, along with company-funded educational materials and programs, shows that Meta’s approach of collaborating with external organizations to promote favorable technology messages began years ago as app criticism intensified.
A 2018 internal draft document shows user experience researchers discussing how to address claims that social media companies were “designing addictive products that can harm well‑being.” The researchers suggested consulting outside experts to identify Facebook features that might negatively impact users long-term.
Their brainstorming included: “Form an alliance where the third party can vouch for the thoroughness and relevance of our approach for targeting the ‘addiction’ claims.” Meta told Reuters it never implemented this concept.
Both companies did develop relationships with multiple organizations. Google provided funding to Sesame Street, Highlights and Girl Scouts. Meta also sponsored Girl Scouts.
Some materials promoted by Meta and Google do contain digital safety guidance, according to children’s media experts, including reminders about creating secure passwords and avoiding fraudulent schemes.
The companies refused to disclose their payment amounts to these organizations. However, Google announced in 2024 it would invest at least $20 million supporting groups promoting “digital well-being,” including Highlights Magazine and Sesame Workshop.
“We prioritize the well-being of our youngest users by building industry-leading safeguards and putting families in charge of their digital experiences – any suggestion otherwise is simply wrong,” a Google spokesperson told Reuters.
Sesame Workshop stated that Google had no authority over its digital wellness educational content, noting in a statement that Google executives provided input “prior to the start of content development.” Child development experts, parents and caregivers contributed to the actual materials, according to Sesame.
Meta stated it played a minimal role in creating the Girl Scout materials but expressed pride in its collaboration with online safety experts. A company spokesperson said the organization frequently partners with academics to research negative platform usage.
Highlights Magazine refused to answer detailed questions about its Google partnership. Spokesperson Melanie Bay said the publication creates products to help children “make thoughtful choices.”
The Girl Scouts digital safety program, funded by Meta’s Instagram, requires participants to complete age-appropriate lessons to earn a “digital leadership” badge.
One curriculum section targeting middle-school-aged scouts teaches girls to monitor their screen time. Participants are then encouraged to “create digital content to support a topic” they find meaningful.
Google began sponsoring its own Girl Scouts patch last year, called the “Be Internet Awesome Fun Patch,” connected to the company’s digital literacy program. Participants learn about online kindness, password security, and protecting personal information. The patch, displayed on the Girl Scouts website, shows both organizations’ logos.
“It’s almost priming them to desire to get on social media once they reach the minimum age,” said Brendesha Tynes, a children’s media researcher at the University of Southern California.
Girl Scouts did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Google also provided Highlights magazine with at least $5 million. A 2024 special edition funded by Google contains instructions for creating a “sleeping bag” to store devices overnight. “Before you shut down for the night, put your device to bed,” the magazine advises.
This activity normalizes smartphone ownership for Highlights readers – aged six to 12 – at that young age, according to seven parents advocating for technology restrictions who reviewed the publication for Reuters.
Google distributed an additional 250,000 copies of the special Highlights edition to organizations including Save the Children and Reading is Fundamental.
A Google spokesperson described the company’s internet safety curriculum as “accredited and reputable,” stating that Google collaborated with safety organizations in its development. One partner is the Family Online Safety Institute, a non-profit receiving most of its funding from technology companies, including Google. Meta is not a member.
The institute confirmed in a statement that they reviewed the curriculum before its launch.
The educational programs funded by Google and Meta did address some negative effects of their applications, according to four children’s media researchers and pediatricians who spoke with Reuters.
Meta’s sponsored Girl Scouts curriculum for middle schoolers discusses how companies collect user information to market products or “influence you online.” A Scholastic activity sheet funded by Google teaches children how to respond to pop-up messages saying, “You’ve won a free smartphone! Click here to get it!”
This educational content benefits children and families, according to Tiffany Munzer, lead author of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ 2026 digital media guidelines, though she emphasized that companies must still eliminate features like algorithmic recommendations that make device disconnection difficult for kids.
“We can still call for better design of the actual product,” Munzer said, referring to digital apps.
