AI-Generated Misinformation and Children: Developmental Vulnerabilities, Social Amplification, and Governance Imperatives

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping children’s digital environments, offering new learning opportunities while enabling highly realistic misinformation. Grounded in developmental psychology and media literacy theory, this commentary integrates empirical research on children’s cognitive development with emerging evidence on AI-generated misinformation. Limited critical literacy, reliance on surface cues, and susceptibility to memory distortion heighten children’s vulnerability to deceptive content, risks further amplified by algorithmic recommendations and peer sharing. Regulatory, educational, and design safeguards remain uneven and underdeveloped. This commentary highlights developmental vulnerabilities, social amplification processes, and governance gaps, calling for coordinated, child-centered responses across education, technology, policy, and caregiving systems.