Andorra Removes Google App from School iPads After Child Accesses Adult Content

Andorra's Education Ministry is removing the Google App from school iPads after a first-grade student accessed adult content through it on 19 June. Officials withdrew around 380 devices from primary schools across the country's eight centres as a precaution, though only about 30 had the app installed.

Education Minister Ladislau Baró outlined the response in written answers to questions from Social Democrat councillor Laia Moliné. A teacher spotted the issue on one device, removed it and notified school management, prompting the nationwide suspension of first-grade iPads.

Technical checks found no general faults in the XENA educational network's filters or device configurations. The access occurred via the Google App, which did not consistently apply expected restrictions like SafeSearch on certain iPads and search queries. Google representatives met with ministry staff and recommended schools use only Chrome, avoiding the app due to a recent shift in its default iPad behaviour.

No personal data breaches, credential losses or system leaks took place, with the matter limited to unauthorised content exposure. The ministry avoids routine monitoring of individual student searches to uphold data protection principles.

Steps underway include erasing the Google App from all devices, revising the approved apps catalogue and collaborating with Andorra Telecom to enhance XENA filtering. Pilot testing will expand for apps enabling browsing, searches, images, videos or open web access. An external audit by three specialist firms will identify gaps in protections against inappropriate material.

First-grade iPads will stay out of classrooms until the audit verifies adequate safeguards, alongside fixes from the Educational Technology Development Area. No timeline for resumption has been given.

Baró stressed that student protections cannot rely solely on third-party providers. Classroom tools must meet strict, verifiable standards under government oversight, spurring efforts toward a more consistent technology framework.