Know whose account is in control
Check the adult account, household members, linked child profiles and services connected to the speaker. Remove people and skills you no longer recognise.
BASTIONHOST / SMART SPEAKERS & VOICE ASSISTANTS
SMART SPEAKERS & VOICE ASSISTANTS
Treat a talking device as a service, not a grown-up.
A smart speaker can answer, play and sometimes buy, call or control the home. Put the account and purchase controls in place, keep it in a shared space and teach children that a confident voice can still be wrong.
START HERE
Set the boundary before you test it.
Work out what the speaker can actually do in your home. Music-only use is different from a device linked to shopping, calls, cameras, door locks or other smart-home controls.
Disable or protect buying
Turn off voice purchasing or require confirmation that a child cannot supply. Check linked shopping, music and in-skill purchases separately.
Keep it in a shared space
A kitchen or family room makes questions and unexpected behaviour easier to notice. Use the microphone mute control when the device is not wanted.
PRACTICAL SETUP
Work through the real account and device.
Do not rely on what a parent dashboard appears to show. Apply the control, then check the result while signed in as the child.
List the speaker's linked services
Check shopping, music, calls, calendars, cameras, locks and other smart-home devices. Disconnect anything the family does not actively use.
Create or link the child profile
Use the maker's family settings and age-appropriate content controls. Voice recognition can help personalise access, but do not rely on it as proof that the speaker knows who is talking.
Turn off or protect purchases
Disable voice buying if it is not needed. If you keep it, require an adult confirmation route and test that the child cannot place an order or start a paid service alone.
Review calls, messages and contacts
Limit who can call or drop in, and who the child can contact. Check household announcements and communication features rather than assuming the device only plays music.
Set content and service boundaries
Review music filters, video access, search results and third-party skills. Remove skills added for a one-off use and avoid linking sensitive calendars or services without a clear need.
Review stored voice activity
Use the account privacy controls to see what is stored and how to delete it. Explain that the device may keep a record of requests and should not be used for private family information.
Practise stop and check
Ask a harmless question with an uncertain answer. Show the child how to stop playback and check important information with a trusted adult or another reliable source.
TEN-MINUTE TEST
Check what your child actually sees.
- The speaker is linked only to accounts and services you recognise
- The child cannot make a purchase alone
- Calls, messages and drop-in access match the family rule
- The device is in a shared family space
- The microphone mute control is easy to find
- The child knows the speaker can sound confident and still be wrong
The family rule
The speaker can help with music and simple questions. It does not make purchases, keep secrets or make important decisions for us. Stop it and ask a grown-up when an answer matters.
What the settings cannot promise
Child profiles and voice recognition do not identify every speaker perfectly. Features change as new services are linked. Review the account after updates, household changes or the addition of a smart lock, camera or payment route.
Current official instructionsGoogle Assistant parental controls ↗Amazon Alexa privacy help ↗Amazon Alexa profiles help ↗
Written by Kevin Turnbull. Last reviewed 21 August 2026. Services, settings and menu names change. Check the current official instructions while applying this guide. This is practical parent-to-parent guidance, not emergency safeguarding advice. Find UK help and reporting services.
PARENT-WRITTEN GUIDANCE
Keep the device useful and limited.
A smart speaker should do the few jobs the family has chosen. Remove the rest, protect spending and keep important questions with people.
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