Anyone who owns an Amazon Alexa-powered device can usually tell you that it’s quite useful to keep around, which is why they bought it in the first place. However, with “smart” IoT devices, there’s always a chance that something will go awry, and we’re not just talking about the usual device lockups or software quirks.
One family found this out the hard way. If parents find Alexa so charming and fun to talk to, it’s a sure thing that the evolving mind of a toddler will as well. The problem is that a toddler’s speech is ever-evolving, and words they do end up uttering with any kind of clarity could sound different from what they’re actually trying to say.
When these parents let their child talk to an Echo Dot, he said something similar enough to a naughty word. Alexa didn’t just understand it; it spit back incredibly foul-mouthed results, causing the family’s blood pressure to instantly rise. The father was quick to shout, “Alexa stop!!”. If you’re wearing headphones, or are not at work where everyone can hear your videos, check it out:
At the moment, we have no information to go on about why this could have happened. Generally speaking, parents are going to assume that their devices have basic protections for children in place without having to fiddle with settings. While it’s clear that the child likely didn’t understand with Alexa was saying, no parent is going to want that kind of language to be heard by such an innocent mind.
So, you parents: use this as a lesson. If you have an Amazon Alexa-enabled device in your home, realize that it could be just as bad an influence as any other media you hope to keep them away from. We anticipate that whatever flaw was triggered here will be patched up very quickly.
