Culturally Aware GenAI Risks for Youth: Perspectives from Youth, Parents, and Teachers in a Non-Western Context

TL;DR

This study examines the cultural, social, and privacy risks of generative AI for youth in Saudi Arabia, highlighting how local norms influence perceptions and behaviors around AI use.

Contribution

It provides a non-western perspective on GenAI risks, emphasizing cultural context, and offers design implications for culturally sensitive parental controls.

Findings

Risks include disclosure of personal and family info conflicting with cultural norms.

Shared AI accounts are common due to socio-economic factors.

Cultural norms influence youth's safety perceptions and interactions with GenAI.

Abstract

Generative AI tools are widely used by youth and have introduced new privacy and safety challenges. While prior research has explored youth's safety in GenAI within western context, it often overlooks the cultural, religious, and social dimensions of technology use that strongly shape youths digital experiences in countries like Saudi Arabia. To address the gap, this study explores children (aged 7 to 17), parents and teachers interactions with GenAI tools and risk perceptions through non-western lens. Through a mixed methods approach, we analyzed 736 Reddit and 1,262 X(Twitter) posts and conducted interviews with 31 Saudi Arabian participants (8 youth, 13 parents, 10 teachers). Our findings highlight context dependent and relational privacy and safety of GenAI from non-western context which often formed by communal structure and prescribed norms. We found significant risks tied to youths disclosure of personal and family information, which conflict with culturally rooted expectations of modesty, privacy, and honor, particularly when youth seek emotional support from GenAI. These risks further compounded by socio economic factors such as cost-saving practices leading to the use of shared GenAI accounts (e.g.ChatGPT) within families or even among strangers. We provide design implication reflecting on parents and teachers expectation of how youth should use GenAI. This work lays groundwork for inclusive, context sensitive parental controls that adhere to cultural norms and values.