What are those risks? and what can we do to eliminate them for more peace of mind. Lets get into that next.

What are the risks?

Before disabling features, parents need to familiarize themselves with what Alexa can do that may put their children at risk.  Kids are often more tech-savvy than their parents, and word of “cool tricks to try” spreads between kids on the playground like wildfire.  Here are some of the most important features to be aware of. 

  • Explicit
  • Lyrics

One of Alexa’s most popular features is the ability to stream music.  A variety of music streaming services can be linked to your account.  Parents should be aware of which accounts have been linked to their Alexa devices and any restrictions regarding music content need to be configured from within the streaming service app.

  • Shopping

  • Sprees

  • Calling

  • and Messaging

Once synced with a cell phone, using the voice-control feature, Alexa can call friends and family from the contracts list. Unfortunately, if that list includes business associates, the school, or the local police department, Alexa can call them as well.  Once feisty little 5-year-old figures this out, it could become a problem. 

  • Drop In

Drop In is a feature that allows two or more Alexa devices to function much like an intercom.  However, this is not restricted to the Alexa devices in your own home or on your account.  It can also be enabled for Alexa devices in other people’s homes.   It might be great for the kids to be able to ask Alexa to drop in on Grandma, but it also means Grandma can drop in on you. 

  • Skype
  • Calling

Unlike with Calling and Messaging which use your phone’s Contact’s List, When Skype to Phone calling is enabled, Alexa can dial any number in more than 150 countries.   Parents choosing to enable this feature should seriously consider the risk that their child may call “friends” they have met online.

  • Skills

  • Notifications

Notifications are not so much a risk as they can be annoyances and spoilers.  Alexa may make a notification sound past a child’s bedtime.  Worse, Alexa may just announce that your order of a LOL Surprise Doll was just delivered, ruining a birthday surprise.  No LOLs there.

Making Kids Safe

  • FreeTime

From this screen, about midway down is FreeTime.  Select it and toggle to enable.  Here you will be able to block explicit music from being played, as well as turn off features such as Calling and Messaging, and Drop-In.  Once enabled, you can set up your children’s individual profiles from within the Parental Dashboard and set specific controls for each child.

FreeTime also allows parents to control when and for how long their children are using the device. For little night owls who can’t help themselves from playing late into the evening, parents can configure what time of day Alexa may be used and have the device pause itself at bedtime.

  • FreeTime Unlimited

  • Enabling and Disabling Features

Thankfully, the most concerning of Alexa’s features such as Drop In and Skype Calling must be enabled from the app before using.  If you have enabled either and are reconsidering, you can easily disable it by again going to the app and reconfiguring the settings under Communication.  Disabling Drop In can be individually set for each Alexa device you own. 

  • Voice Purchasing

There have been dozens of stories in the news about small children going wild with voice ordering from their parents Alexa device.  It’s adorably shocking until it happens to you. 

You’ll be able to configure which notifications you receive from the Settings main menu.  Toggling will turn delivery notifications off or on and a second selection allows you to prevent Alexa from announcing what is in that package just delivered to your door. 

  • Do Not Disturb

You can also restrict Alexa from making any disturbing sounds by either putting the device into a Do Not Disturb mode or scheduling specific hours when your Alexa device will automatically go into a Do Not Disturb mode.  This is found under Device Settings.

Parents who purchase the Echo Dot Kids Edition will find that controls for many of these risks have already been implemented into the device.  Another benefit of this version of Alexa is that it comes with one year of free FreeTime Unlimited service.

  • Turning the Microphone Off

In the end, however, it’s best not to rely parental controls alone. Have frequent conversations with your kids about restrictions, usage limits, and Internet safety. Ultimately, the best method for keeping kids safe when using Alexa or any internet-connected technology is always going to be parental supervision. 

Can I turn off Parental

Controls?

Yes. Parental controls can be turned off from within the app the same way in which they were turned on.  Children’s profiles in FreeTime may also be updated as they grow and parents choose to allow them more freedom while using Alexa.

Are there privacy concerns

with Alexa?

Can Alexa Be Hacked?

Alexa can be hacked, but a former NSA expert believes the chances of it are extremely low for the average person like you and me. It would be far too much time and effort for hackers to listen and sort through recordings for information or data they can actually make money off of.  There are more lucrative targets available.