If you have children at home and also some other device with Alexa, You should know How can you tailor the user experience? so that they enjoy more and you are calm. Because if not, you may have the occasional small 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 to which they may have access, 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 launched to place not one but several in different parts of their home. Sometimes even one in the children's room so that they can enjoy music and other advantages, such as communications between devices.
However, in those situations where there are small children, they are 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 children 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 voice code.
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 similar. You know, for the little ones the concept of money takes time to settle down.
This process is as simple as going to the Alexa app and then going to Settings > Account settings > Shop by voice > Code by voice. Now you just have to set the PIN and that's it. If this option does not appear, it means that you do not have the option to buy by voice active.
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 someone who calls 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 full use. Only between devices in your home and cancel it completely.
Limiting it to home devices can be the most interesting thing, because you don't lose an option that can surely give you a lot of play. But if you still don't trust it, disable it completely.
What are child skills
Alexa skills are something you most likely already know about. 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 skills for children 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 > Child 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 abilities will appear with which children will be able to find games such as the one with the statues, Trivial and many others. There's even one for Alexa to remind them that it's time to brush their teeth.
Child 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 interaction history with children in the same way as with adults.
This shouldn't be a problem, because the data is treated confidentially, but if you're worried, you can delete the history as usual directly from the Alexa settings. Something you can do from the Alexa app on the Activity option.
Alexa and the little ones
Done, these are simple and essential adjustments when there are children at home. Especially if they are of a certain age and are one of those who quickly take each and every one of the things you tell. Because if at any point you talk or they hear you use the smart speaker to shop, it is likely that they will reply without being aware of what it implies.