Microsoft has announced a new product and updates to existing products that ultimately benefit kids and families. Chief among the new offerings is MSN Kids, a news website based on the existing MSN site, but one created specifically for children. As well, Microsoft has updated its Launcher app with new parental controls, added site blocking to Edge for Android, and more.
It seems that our eagerness or carelessness in surrendering our data so easily to companies and services is finally coming back to haunt us. From massive customer database hacking to the recent Facebook scandal, the data we've sowed on company servers are now being reaped by others, often by criminals. This latest incident is both unfortunate and probably also inevitable. TeenSafe, an app that's supposed to keep kids safe by letting their parents monitor them, has now practically achieved the opposite by leaking parents' and children's data to almost anyone who has been able to grab hold of its database.
Amazon is facing both questions and criticism following the launch of its new Echo Dot for Kids, a colorful version of its Echo Dot product marketed specifically for children. The device is identical to the regular Dot device, the only exception being its colorful skin; it does, however, bring FreeTime Unlimited out-of-the-box alongside a slew of privacy concerns.
Phones for kids are controversial, with parents wanting the ability to keep in touch with their offspring but not wanting to see them addicted to screens, and so Republic Wireless is hoping Relay will squeeze somewhere in-between. Finally available to order, Relay looks more like a tracking tile than a phone, and is really more like a walkie-talkie than anything else.
Amazon may have only announced its Echo Dot Kids Edition last week, but the colorful smart speakers are already in line for some deals. To make a regular Echo Dot into the Kids Edition, Amazon clads it in a child-friendly skin and then throws in its new FreeTime Unlimited on Alexa service, for some age-appropriate content.
The Internet can be a scary place even for grownups who (at least should) know better. Imagine how even more dangerous it could be for young ones. As the biggest video source on the Internet, YouTube creates a dedicated YouTube Kids app to become a safe haven for children, basically anyone under 13 years old, to enjoy the treasury of the service's content. In light of recent criticisms and even legal complaints, YouTube is rolling out a few changes to give parents and kids better choices in what they consume and how they consume it.
Just like with fake news, Facebook's actions, or inactions, are sending ripples throughout the tech industry. Data privacy has become a hot topic again and people are putting more and more services under a microscope. Just like YouTube, a new study from researchers affiliated with the International Computer Science Institute reports that thousands of Android apps could be in violation of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act or COPPA. But unlike YouTube, there's still some uncertainty on who should be held legally accountable or if there's a clear violation at all.
In no small thanks to Facebook's blunder, tech companies, especially the big ones, have come under increased scrutiny over their handling of user data. Considering how it makes much of its revenue from advertising, Google and its businesses are a prime target for such investigations. A coalition of more than 20 consumer advocacy groups have lodged a complaint at the Federal Trade Commission against YouTube, alleging that the video streaming giant knowingly and willfully collects and profits from tracking kids, all without the consent of their parents or legal guardians.
As our social networks continue to be dominated by algorithmically suggested content, YouTube has faced some serious criticism in recent months over aimed at children, especially within its own YouTube Kids app. To help address these growing concerns, the company is said to be working on a major overhaul of its kid-friendly app, where the only videos displayed are those approved by a team of human curators.
Fitbit has launched a fitness wristband for kids called the Fitbit Ace. This is the first kids wearable the company has released; it's designed to get kids active while helping parents keep an eye on how much activity their child is getting. Among other things, the wearable is made for kids age 8 and older, offering things like 5-day battery life and support for Fitbit family accounts.
Netflix is testing a new experience called "Patches" that gives kids incentive to binge-watch its content. These Patches, which are only available to some Netflix customers for now, are presented to kids as a collectible they receive in exchange for watching certain shows. Early access users report not being able to do anything with the patches -- the act of collecting them appears to be the reward itself, something that has already raised concerns among some parents.
Tata Communications has announced Omate x Nanoblock, a smartwatch designed for children. This wearable's design somewhat resembles the Apple Watch, only with miniature plastic blocks like LEGOs on the band. The Omate x Nanoblock is designed to help parents keep track of their kids and communicate with them on the go, offering a bunch of features including 3G, two-way voice chatting, and a front-facing camera.