Digital Smarts - Amazon Echo and the Concept of Courtesy

Have you seen the ads with Alec Baldwin for the new Amazon Echo? The Amazon Echo is a wireless speaker and device that responds to voice commands to deliver weather and news, play music, access Wikipedia articles and even turn on lights. The device is an underground hit with people of all ages, but some parents have complained that the device is teaching children poor manners. The Echo is activated by the prompt command “Alexa,” without requiring the use of niceties such as “please” and ‘thank you.” Some feel that could interfere when teaching young children basic etiquette!