Are Voice Assistants Safe for Kids?

Picture this: your child stands in the kitchen, staring at the smart speaker with a commanding tone that would make any parent laugh (or cringe). 

“Alexa, play Baby Shark again!” 

Or maybe it’s Siri being asked, “What’s the fastest animal in the world?” 

Virtual assistants like Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant have quickly become part of family life. They answer questions, play music, and sometimes even help with homework. But in the whirlwind of questions swirling around the family smart speaker, how many of us have stopped to ask ourselves,  “Is this actually safe for my kids?”

The answer isn’t simple. These voice-powered helpers bring a mix of risks and rewards. The good news? With a little setup and some healthy boundaries, they can be fun, useful, and safe additions to your child’s day. 

Let’s walk through the main concerns — and why you don’t have to be scared of bringing a virtual assistant into your home.

Privacy: Who’s Listening?

First, let’s tackle the elephant in the room: these devices are always listening. 

Each has a unique wake word (e.g. “Hey, Alexa” or “Ok, Google”) that triggers a response, so the device is always listening for that word. And then (obviously) once activated, the device is listening for your question or request. That means your child’s voice will get recorded and stored. 

What exactly these companies do with those voice recordings is the important question. And Big Tech doesn’t exactly have a great track record with data and privacy concerns either. In fact, Amazon was fined $25 million dollars in 2023 for keeping kids’ voice recordings “forever,” even when parents asked for them to be deleted. Can’t say I love that.

Here’s the hopeful part: companies have gotten better about transparency. There might be slight variations from device to device but generally this is how it goes down:

1. The device listens for a wake word
2. Once activated by a wake word, the device begins recording
3. That recording is sent to the company’s cloud
4. Once in the cloud, it is encrypted and transcribed
5. The transcription is used to execute the request
6. The associated data is stored indefinitely

A few caveats:

• Some devices process requests directly on the device instead of sending them to the cloud. For example, Google doesn’t save voice clips by default, Apple processes many Siri requests directly on your device, and some of Amazon’s Echo devices previously enabled users to opt out of sending voice recordings. (Amazon recently discontinued that feature, and experts assume that’s because enhanced AI capabilities need to be processed on the cloud, rather than on the device locally. So I’d expect this to be a trend going forward.)
• Data being stored “indefinitely” doesn’t mean forever. It means that you as the user have some control over what gets stored and also that, in some cases, it isn’t exactly clear what data the company stores or shares.

Reviewing Your Conversations

Most devices give you some level of control over what is stored, and for how long. This has gotten better over time as pressure has mounted for Big Tech to do better by way of consumers when it comes to privacy concerns. It’s a good idea to regularly review and delete your recordings.

Think of it like digital housekeeping — you wouldn’t leave old snacks molding in the fridge, and you don’t want voice recordings piling up in the cloud either. A quick check in your device’s privacy dashboard keeps things cleaner and safer.

For more information on your device’s specific privacy details and how to manage recordings, see the following links:

• Amazon Alexa Devices
• Google Nest Devices
• Apple’s Siri-enabled Devices
• A thorough privacy review of each company from The Ambient
• Consumer Reports’ guide to privacy settings

Security: Could It Be Misused?

Another worry related to privacy is security. This might come in the form of a toddler shouting, “Alexa, order cookies!” then finding a delivery at your doorstep within the hour. It’s funny — until it’s not.

Get familiar with your specific device’s settings and you’ll likely find a simple fix:

• Turn off voice purchasing or set a PIN.
• Use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication.
• Mute the mic when you’re not using it.

Just like you wouldn’t leave the front door unlocked, you shouldn’t leave your digital door wide open. A few extra clicks in the settings go a long way.

Content: What Will It Say?

Another worry is what these assistants might say back to your kids. Most of the time it’s harmless — knock-knock jokes, dinosaur facts, or songs. But there have been slip-ups. 

A few years ago, Alexa told a 10-year-old to try the “penny challenge,” one of many dumb TikTok challenges. The child was bored on a rainy day and asked the smart speaker for a challenge to do. The speaker told her to, “plug in a phone charger about halfway into a wall outlet, then touch a penny to the exposed prongs.” Thankfully, the parent intervened, and Amazon patched the mistake.

The story serves as a good reminder: assistants pull answers from the internet, and the internet isn’t always kid-friendly. But there are tools to help.

• Amazon developed a “kids mode” called Alexa for Kids that filters answers, blocks purchases, and makes responses more age-appropriate.
• Google has settings that allow you to restrict content shared on Google Nest speakers.
• Siri relies on Apple’s Screen Time settings to filter explicit language and block unsafe searches.

The best move? Make the most of your device’s safety settings, set simple clear family guidelines, and keep smart speakers in shared family spaces where you can overhear what’s being asked. That way, if your child asks Siri, “Where do babies come from?” you’ll be there to guide the conversation rather than letting an algorithm handle it.

Development: How Does It Shape Kids?

Parents also wonder if talking to a machine all the time could shape how kids treat people. After all, Alexa never insists on a “please.” Does that mean kids will get used to barking orders?

It’s a fair concern and some companies have implemented “pretty please” or “magic word” modes to encourage kids to speak politely. Others argue that we shouldn’t teach children to treat machines like humans. You’re the parent and you know your kids so, when it comes to this specific concern, the key will be how you teach your kids. And, more importantly, how you reinforce that approach in follow-up conversations and the way you speak to them yourself.

There’s also the question of learning. If Siri can answer, “What’s 7 times 8?” in a second, will kids stop trying to figure things out on their own? It’s possible. This is one concern with the explosion of AI more generally. But also consider the flipside: these devices often spark curiosity. 

One question leads to another: “How far is the moon?” becomes “What’s the biggest rocket?” which becomes “Can we go see a space museum this weekend?” 

When used with guidance, assistants can encourage deeper curiosity rather than shutting it down. As with most technology, balance matters. If Alexa is answering every homework question, that’s a problem. But if she’s telling jokes after dinner or helping your child learn more about outer space, that’s a healthy use.

The Upside: Why Families Still Love Them

Now for the hopeful part. These assistants don’t pose risks without any rewards — they can actually enrich family life when used wisely.

• Curiosity on demand: Kids are full of “why” questions. Having an instant answer can keep that spark of wonder alive (and give parents a break when you don’t know the capital of Kazakhstan off the top of your head).
• Educational fun: Alexa and Google offer kid-friendly games, quizzes, and stories that build vocabulary, math skills, and creativity.
• Routines and reminders: These assistants can help with bedtime, chore reminders, or even homework check-ins — without parents sounding like broken records.
• Accessibility: For children with ADHD, autism, or mobility challenges, voice assistants can provide gentle structure and independence.
• Family Bonding: Smart speakers can spark impromptu dance parties, trivia challenges, and other family fun. 

The risks should be taken seriously but so should the upsides.

So, Are They Safe?

Like most tech, virtual assistants are a mix of opportunity and risk. Left on their own, they can expose kids to privacy concerns, unsafe content, or lazy shortcuts. But with parental controls, shared spaces, and open conversations, they can also be delightful helpers.

Think of them like a bike: you wouldn’t hand your child a two-wheeler and send them off without training wheels, a helmet, and your watchful eye. Virtual assistants deserve the same care. With the right safeguards, they can open up a world of curiosity, convenience, and fun — without harming your child.

And who knows? The next time your child shouts, “Hey Siri!” the answer might spark a family adventure, a science project, or just a round of belly laughs. That’s the kind of safe, hopeful tech we can all get behind.