Google is making its Assistant platform more kid-friendly by introducing new parental settings, voices, and other features. Prior to this, Google Assistant didn’t have any parental controls, but the firm argues in the announcement(opens in new tab) that youngsters frequently interact with shared gadgets, so it saw fit to provide parents with the tools they need to supervise them.
Users will be able to limit the sort of content, features, and devices their children have access to at home using Google Assistant Parental Controls. For content, you can choose from a few recognized services such as YouTube Kids or YouTube Music. Access to news and podcasts can also be restricted by parents.
Certain capabilities, like making phone calls, can be turned off, and offered responses can be tailored to be more age-appropriate. There will also be a new Downtime tool that will allow parents to define a timetable for when their children can use Google Assistant.
The launch of Kids Dictionary, which allows Google Assistant to deliver “simple… replies” to youngsters, provides age-appropriate answers. According to the announcement, the function works by recognizing that a youngster is speaking and “understanding” that a question is being asked. Google used the example of a toddler inquiring about a telescope and obtaining a rudimentary definition from a Nest Hub display.
You must first add your child’s voice to a compatible device before using Kids Dictionary. The Google Assistant Help page contains instructions on how to accomplish this (opens in a new tab).
The advent of four new kid-friendly voices is the final addition (opens in new tab). According to Google, these voices were created with the help of children and parents to portray a wide range of accents. When compared to adults, they also communicate in a slower and more expressive manner.
Everything in the upgrade will be available in the coming weeks to all US users. It is unknown whether a global launch is planned at this time. According to Google, the Parental Controls will be available on both Android and iOS in the Assistant, Home, and Family Link applications. The release does not specify whether or not the Kids Dictionary and the four voices will be included in those apps.
We contacted Google for clarification and inquired how parents could switch to a more kid-friendly voice. The Google Assistant update is part of the tech giant’s long-running endeavor to empower parents to better protect their families.
Indeed, the previously mentioned Family Link recently underwent a major redesign that altered its user interface and incorporated a new location monitoring capability. In addition, Google TV now supports parent-controlled watchlists, making it easier to monitor material.
But suppose that isn’t enough and you want extra protection tools for your family or would like to recommend others. We propose that you look over TechRadar’s top identity theft prevention for families list. These security suites include features such as a password manager, anti-malware protection, and VPNs.
Parents will also be able to specify which Google Assistant devices their children can use and when they can do so. These parental controls will be available in the coming weeks on iOS and Android via the Google Home, Family Link, and Google Assistant apps. To use these services, users will need a Google Account managed through Family Link with Voice Match activated.
The new Google Assistant features arrive just a few weeks after it was claimed that Google was beefing up its hardware division by diverting resources away from the Assistant.
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