Amazon recently introduced its Echo Dot Kids Edition, which the company markets as a sturdy, safe, kid-friendly, transaction-free smart speaker with 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 children tell Alexa they are bored, the Echo Dot will offer games or activities, which could be from one of Amazons brand partners. This raises concerns to the extent that children cannot differentiate advertising messages from non-advertising message. 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 MITs 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 a chore, the CCFC suggests there is reason for parental concern. What do you think? Is it an ethical concern or not ?