If you have children at home and also some other device with Alexa , you should know how you can adapt the user experience so that they enjoy more and you are calm. Because if not, you may have the odd little or big scare as they discover everything they could do with Amazon’s voice assistant.
Alexa, watch out for the kids
Computers, mobile phones, tablets, Smart TVs and even smart speakers. The devices we use every day are very different and offer us endless possibilities. The problem is that we are not always aware of the amount of information that can be accessed, or the type of things that can be done from them.
One of these clear examples is smart speakers. With its popularization and improvement in the performance of the respective assistants, many users have decided to place not one but several in different parts of their home. Sometimes even one in the room of the little ones so that they can enjoy music and other advantages, such as communication between devices.
However, in those situations where there are small children, one is not usually very aware of what they could mess up if they misuse it. And it is not something they want to do intentionally, but if the adult does not control the technology, they cannot be asked to do it either.
For all this and for some other additional detail that we will tell you later, configuring your speaker with Alexa safely and child-proof is the best thing you can do if there are little ones at home.
Protecting purchases through Alexa
With children at home, the first thing you have to do is protect voice purchases that can be made through Alexa. If you have that option enabled, you have no choice but to activate the Code by voice .
This option is a kind of PIN that will allow you to prevent the little ones from buying without realizing it or believing that doing so does not imply spending money or anything to simulate. You know, for the little ones the concept of money takes time to settle.
This process is as simple as going to the Alexa app and then going to Settings> Account Settings> Buy by voice> Code by voice . Now you just have to set the PIN and that’s it. If this option does not appear, you do not have the option to buy by voice activated.
Limiting the use of Drop in
The Drop In option is interesting, but it is still a bit intrusive. To prevent your children from being able to talk to someone without your permission or with rent to call them, you just have to do the following.
The first thing is to go to Settings> Device Settings> Communications> Drop In . There you will see that you have the option to allow its use in full. Just between devices in your home and override it completely.
Limiting it to home devices can be the most interesting, because you do not lose an option that can surely give you a lot of play. But if you still don’t trust it, deactivate it completely.
What are child skills
Alexa skills are something that you most likely already know. We have told you about them on more than one occasion and we always tell you that they are the way to make the most of the power of Alexa as a voice assistant.
What we have not told you is that there are also children’s skills and they are designed to provide new functions more designed for the little ones in the house. To allow its use you will have to enable the option that is within the Alexa app, Settings> Account settings> Children’s skills.
Now, if you go to the Skills and Games section, you will see that a new Children’s option appears within Categories. By clicking on it, a series of skills will appear with which children can find games such as statues, Trivia and many others. There’s even one for Alexa to remind you that it’s time to brush your teeth.
Children’s skills and privacy
What is important for you to know, especially if you are concerned about your privacy and that of minors, is that Alexa will save the history of interactions with children in the same way that it does with adults.
This should not be a problem, because the data is treated confidentially, but if you are hesitant you can delete the history regularly directly from the Alexa settings. Something you can do from the Alexa app in the Activity option.
Alexa and the little ones
Ready, these are simple and essential adjustments when there are little ones at home. Especially if they are of a certain age and are one of those who are quickly left with each and every one of the things that you count. Because if at any point you talk or hear you use the smart speaker to buy, they are likely to replicate without being aware of what it implies.