Amazon is adapting its Alexa technology so that Echo smart speakers will switch to kid-friendly mode when they detect kids are talking to them. "
Given the reach of these digital devices in our lives, this is good news.
Echo devices dig deep into our existence. We use them to get answers to questions, control lights, and play music. Our children see how we use them, and children imitate their parents. In the coming months, Amazon will be giving parents the ability to create voice profiles for their children for kid-friendly responses, the giant retailer said at its product launch event on Thursday.
Once voice profiles are set up, the Alexa device returns kid-friendly answers, games, music, audiobooks, and premium skills, for example. The feature goes perfectly with the new $ 60 Echo Dot Kids Edition, a smart speaker with Panda or Tiger color scheme options, but it also works with other Alexa devices.
This is a significant step forward for parents like me who want their children to benefit from new technology but are concerned about the many problems. Establishing a system of different ways of interacting with children is important for safety, privacy and mental health.
There is no doubt about it: New technologies offer children a lot. With devices connected, they can take advantage of educational resources, satisfy their curiosity, and keep in touch with friends and family. This last skill is particularly welcome COVID-19 keeps them at home.
What we don't want is technology that exposes children to the multitude of inappropriate content that populates parts of the web. We also don't want them to be locked into services like video games or social media websites that damage their self-esteem or are otherwise mentally unhealthy.
It's not yet clear how well Amazon's technology will work or how comprehensive it will be. However, there are good indications that Amazon is paying attention to real needs.
Take the featured technology called Reading Sidekick that listens to children reading books aloud. The AI- Assisted assistant provides support and even a little help when a child has problems.
The Reading Sidekick could be useful for parents dealing with home schooling in exceptional circumstances such as a coronavirus pandemic. I can't imagine it's as good as a real parent, teacher, or other helpful person. But for many families and schools, the alternative is of no help at all.
The Reading Sidekick "is a feature I wanted ... so badly 4 years ago when [my] Child had problems reading. The best way to help a child improve reading is to read aloud, but most children hate doing it alone. That's why they suggest reading to pets, "said the tech analyst Carolina Milanesi tweeted. "Unfortunately, pets don't give feedback."
I foresee a lot of problems. Children often find out how to bypass parental controls. Creating a "kid mode" is difficult when "kid" can range from preschooler to middle school student. And the more personalized the service, the more worrisome the impact on data protection. This is especially true for a company like Amazon, which has tremendous incentive to sound out our profiles to find out what we want to buy online. And Amazon already has privacy-related flaws in storing Alexa's voice recordings and converting ring surveillance cameras into neighborhood surveillance systems.
And let's not forget that Amazon is primarily interested in keeping your family in the tech space and paying for services like Prime, Amazon Music Unlimited, and Audible. Today's children are tomorrow's subscribers.
But let's be realistic. Millions of us have already let these devices into our homes. It is better to try to grapple with the problems than to pretend they don't exist. Teaching Alexa to work smarter with kids is a start.
