Amazon recently introduced its Echo Dot Kids Edition, which the company markets as a sturdy, safe, kid-friendly, transaction-free smart speaker with the voice-activated virtual assistant Alexa. Designed for kids, the device has parental controls that can limit activities and content that parents do not want children to access. However, the Boston-based Campaign for Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC), which advocates against child-targeted marketing, is concerned that parents may rely on the Echo Dot Kids Edition for convenience or assistance and not realize that it is a marketing device.For example, if a child tells Alexa "I am" bored, the Echo Dot will offer a game or activity, which could be from one of Amazon's brand partners. This raises concerns to the extent that children cannot differentiate advertising messages from non-advertising messages. The Echo Dot Kids also gathers information from children that it uses to make personalized recommendations, which could influence purchase behavior. The CCFC likened the data collection process to surveillance. Further, a recent study from MIT's Media Lab reported that 74 percent of children studied thought of Alexa as a person who always tells the truth. Although parents might benefit from this effect when they use the Echo to tell children to sleep or to do chore, the CCFC suggests there is reason for parental concern.

1. Debate the pros and cons of purchasing the Echo Dot Kids Edition for a child.

2. Who most likely will purchase this for their child? Who is Amazon Targeting?

3. Do you own an Echo? Should consumers be concerned about "invasion of privacy" in other words, who is listening? As a marketer, how do you counteract such concerns? How does Amazon counteract such concerns?