Chromebooks train schoolkids to be loyal customers, internal Google document suggests | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersExpandThe Verge DailyInstallerVerge DealsNotepadOptimizerRegulatorThe StepbackArchivesStoreSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Chromebooks train schoolkids to be loyal customers, internal Google document suggestsComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...NewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsPolicyClosePolicyPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PolicyTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechChromebooks train schoolkids to be loyal customers, internal Google document suggestsAn internal presentation says nabbing users early ‘leads to brand trust and loyalty over their lifetime.’An internal presentation says nabbing users early ‘leads to brand trust and loyalty over their lifetime.’by Emma RothCloseEmma RothNews WriterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Emma RothJan 24, 2026, 1:21 AM UTCLinkShareGiftPhoto: Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeEmma RothCloseEmma RothPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Emma Roth is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.Internal documents revealed as part of a child safety lawsuit hint at Google’s plan to “onboard kids” into its ecosystem by investing in schools. In this November 2020 presentation, Google writes that getting kids into its ecosystem “leads to brand trust and loyalty over their lifetime,” as reported earlier by NBC News.The heavily-redacted documents, which surfaced earlier this week, are linked to a massive lawsuit filed by several school districts, families, and state attorneys general, accusing Google, Meta, ByteDance, and Snap of creating “addictive and dangerous” products that have harmed young users’ mental health. (Snap settled earlier this week).Google has spent over a decade investing in products built for education, while establishing Chromebooks as a classroom staple. The 2020 document also includes a study on how the laptop brands used in schools have an “influence on purchase patterns.”Image: GoogleAnother slide in the presentation highlights a 2017 story from The New York Times, bolding a quote that says Google is part of a battle to “hook students as future customers.” This quote appears multiple times in the presentation: “If you get someone on your operating system early, then you get that loyalty early, and potentially for life.” The document also suggests that YouTube in schools could create a “pipeline of future users” and creators.At the same time, other slides discuss some of the challenges associated with bringing YouTube to schools, including how the platform is “often blocked” and how “efforts to make YouTube safe for schools have yet to work.” The documents also acknowledge the potential impact of YouTube on mental health, with one 2024 presentation showing a slide that says “many regret time lost when they unintentionally ‘go down the rabbit hole,’” or that YouTube “‘distracted’ them from work or even getting to bed on time.”’Image: GoogleIn an emailed statement to The Verge, Google spokesperson Jack Malon says the documents “mischaracterize” the company’s work. “YouTube does not market directly to schools and we have responded to meet the strong demand from educators for high-quality, curriculum-aligned content,” Malon says. “Administrators maintain full control over platform usage and YouTube requires schools to obtain parental consent before granting access to YouTube for students under 18.”Jury selection for the social media addiction trial will start on January 27th, 2026.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Emma RothCloseEmma RothNews WriterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Emma RothGoogleCloseGooglePosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GoogleNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsPolicyClosePolicyPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PolicyPoliticsClosePoliticsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PoliticsTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechMost PopularMost PopularClaude Code is suddenly everywhere inside MicrosoftTesla finally kills Autopilot in a bid to boost FSD subscriptionsEpic and Google have a secret $800 million Unreal Engine and services dealSony announces its first turntables in yearsGoogle won’t stop replacing our news headlines with terrible AIThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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Google’s internal documents, unearthed as part of a lawsuit concerning the impact of social media on young users, reveal a strategic approach to cultivating brand loyalty starting with students. Specifically, the documents, dating back to 2020, highlight a deliberate plan to “onboard kids” into the Google ecosystem by establishing Chromebooks as a classroom staple. The presentation suggests that securing early adoption among students would lead to “brand trust and loyalty over their lifetime.” A key element of this strategy involves leveraging YouTube in schools, envisioning it as a “pipeline of future users” and creators. Internal analyses even framed the early adoption of YouTube as a means to “hook students as future customers” – a quote repeated multiple times – emphasizing the importance of establishing early engagement.

The documents acknowledged potential challenges, noting that YouTube was frequently “blocked” and that efforts to ensure its safe usage in schools had been largely unsuccessful. They also recognized the potential for negative impacts, citing concerns about users “going down the rabbit hole” or experiencing distraction from work or sleep schedules. These reflections, spanning to 2024, reveal a proactive, albeit somewhat concerning, assessment of user behavior and potential harms.

In response to these revelations, Google spokesperson Jack Malon stated that the documents “mischaracterize” the company’s work, asserting that YouTube does not directly market to schools, and that administrators maintain control over platform usage with parental consent required for students under 18. However, the internal presentation’s focus on early adoption and brand loyalty raises pertinent questions about Google's long-term strategy. The documents paint a picture of a calculated effort to build a generation of loyal customers, using the school environment as a critical launchpad. The lawsuit’s scrutiny of these internal communications underscores concerns regarding the influence of technology companies on young people's habits and potentially, their futures.