Smart home devices are everywhere these days — from the classic tiny smart speaker to fancy new refrigerators that have screens built right into their front door. They can be marvels of technology and have positive and time-saving effects on daily living, but they can also present some dangers to your family.
In this post, we’ll teach you about the things you need to be aware of when it comes to smart home devices, and what you can do to help keep your kids safe while using them.
Technology Everywhere: Smart Home Devices and the Modern Family
While the Amazon Alexa wasn’t the first smart home device to be created, it is arguably one of the most popular, debuting in 2014 and kicking off the modern smart-home era. In the decade since, internet-connected smart devices have taken the world by storm, becoming a part of everyday life for hundreds of millions of people across the world. Here are some of the most common devices are on the market today:
- Smart speakers
- Video screens
- Cameras/doorbells
- Thermostats
- Lighting systems
- Alarm systems
Families choose these devices mainly out of convenience — being able to do everything via voice control or an app is something people only dreamed about in science fiction fifty years ago. In 2025, it’s all just a part of modern technology.
Dangers Parents Need to Know About
Smart home devices, while incredibly helpful, aren’t perfect. Families with kids may have to take extra precautions due to the vast amount of information and content these devices have to offer.
Inappropriate content
From listening to inappropriate Spotify playlists on smart speakers to watching explicit YouTube videos on smart video screens, the potential for your child to find mature content is very, very high. And even if content isn’t always explicit, some may still not be right for you kids. For example, Alexa has a feature called “Boo Bot” that will randomly select a scary story from Reddit and read it aloud when prompted.
Unmonitored calling and messaging
Some smart home devices allow you to connect your phone to a smart speaker so you can make telephone calls or text contacts. This means your child may be able to contact people without approval, which could get tricky.
Unapproved shopping orders
Like with Spotify playlists and your contacts, many smart home devices also let you link your Amazon and other shopping accounts, which means your kid could end up ordering things without permission. Fortunately, you can turn this voice-purchasing feature off.
Data mining and listening
There’s a trade-off for all of the help you get from devices like Alexa — they collect personal information from you. The amount of info differs for each device, but include:
- Name
- Address
- Age
- Payment information
- Phone numbers
- Location of smart device
- And more
Hacking
Because smart home devices connect to the internet, they’re vulnerable to cyberattacks and hacking from data thieves looking to sell your personal information online. This article has helpful information about the types of attacks that can happen as well as how you can protect yourself. The first thing? Make sure your accounts have very secure passwords and that they’re all different — here’s a handy guide to creating super-strong passwords.
Take Advantage of Each Device’s Parental Controls
The good news is that the major manufacturers of smart home devices do have parental control options to help parents out. Amazon has Alexa parental controls here, Google has theirs here, and Apple’s you can find here. You manage these settings from each device’s app you install on your phone.
Some apps have more stringent control then others — Apple is of course less invested in parental controls than Google and Amazon. Some of the common settings you can control include:
- Content filters to keep out age-inappropriate music and information
- Restricted mode for YouTube for smart home devices with screens
- Voice recognition for kid-specific profiles
- Alexa history so parents can review what’s been asked
Rely on Bark for the Rest
If you’re worried about your child having unsupervised access to smart home devices, we’ve got you covered! With the Bark Home, you can control exactly when these devices connect to the internet. This helps you protect your child from all of the various dangers that may be found on them. Turning off internet access during the nighttime or during playdates, for example, can ensure your kids aren’t using it to stay up or ask inappropriate questions.
And in addition to smart home device management, Bark also helps you keep your kid safe online in a number of different ways. From content monitoring and screen time management to location tracking and contact approvals, our products have tons of parental control features to help make raising kids in the digital age a little easier.
Bark helps families manage and protect their children’s digital lives.
