Page 24 - aruba-today-20180428

A24 TECHNOLOGY
Saturday 28 april 2018
Sleep mode? Tech giants' kids' 'fixes' amount to baby steps

By BARBARA ORTUTAY has no ads and gives par- old automated system is
AP Technology Writer ents plenty of controls over on by default, meaning
NEW YORK (AP) — Face- whom their children can parents need to actively
book is adding a "sleep" chat with. The thinking was choose the human-only
mode to its Messenger Kids that while the regular apps option. And YouTube is
service to let parents limit are designed for people 13 continuing to show ads on
when their kids can use it. or over, younger kids were its kid-focused service.
It's the latest concession on it anyway. Facebook It also doesn't help that
that tech companies are saw Messenger Kids as a many kids (with or without
making as critics question way to give the younger their parents) use the main
whether they should be tar- set a safer option. YouTube site for video,
geting kids at all. Among — The changes: Parents meaning they miss out on
their chief concerns: The can now specify the times both human and automat-
effects on kids are not yet kids aren't allowed on — ei- ed controls for kids.
known, and companies ther as a one-time restric- ___
might not have children's tion or something recurring, In this Feb. 16, 2018, file photo, Facebook's Messenger Kids app AMAZON'S ALEXA
best interests at heart when such as after 9 p.m. every is displayed on an iPhone in New York. Sure, it's fun to ask Amazon's
tech for kids is such a lucra- school night. While the app Associated Press Alexa voice assistant to fart
tive market. is in sleep mode, kids will — as many kids have dis-
Rather than kill the services get a message when they Since 2015, the Google- Childhood has also asked covered after parents buy
completely, as some critics open it telling them so, and owned service has had a the Federal Trade Commis- an Alexa-enabled Echo
want, Facebook, Amazon they won't be able to use it. child-oriented app, You- sion to investigate whether speaker. But parents and
and Google are mostly tin- — The shortcomings: Crit- Tube Kids, described as a YouTube's data collection childhood experts have
kering at the edges. That ics say that Messenger Kids "safer" experience for find- and advertising practices been wondering what ef-
leaves open the underlying isn't responding to a need, ing "Peppa Pig" episodes or violate federal child priva- fects smart speakers may
questions of whether their but rather creating one. "It user-generated videos of cy rules. have on young kids, who
products truly serve a need appeals primarily to chil- people unboxing toys. — The changes: YouTube may not quite understand
for the youngest set and if dren who otherwise would Nonetheless, the company said this week that it is over- whether Alexa is human
they are good for them. not have their own social has been under fire for not hauling its kids app so par- and maybe learn from
Here's a look at the chang- media accounts," states a vetting out computer-gen- ents can limit video to those barking orders at her that
es announced this week: letter signed by 100 child erated, sometimes-disturb- vetted by humans, rather barking orders is OK.
___ development experts and ing video, such as your fa- than computers. With this — The changes: Alexa will
FACEBOOK'S MESSENGER advocates. Merely offering vorite cartoon characters option, kids can watch only soon thank kids for shout-
KIDS time controls falls short of having painful dental sur- a selection of children's ing out questions "nicely" if
In December, Facebook killing the app completely. gery — or worse. programming such as "Ses- they say "please," the on-
created a kids-friendly ver- ___ The nonprofit Campaign ame Street" and PBS Kids. line retail giant announced
sion of its Messenger app. It YOUTUBE KIDS for a Commercial-Free — The shortcomings: The Wednesday.q

Distracted by technology? Microsoft tries to help

By MATT O'BRIEN ing interrupted or having Google's Android phones
AP Technology Writer to switch tasks about ev- have "Do Not Disturb"
Technology companies ery three minutes — and modes for muting notifica-
whose devices and con- it takes 23 minutes to get tions. Microsoft's biggest
stantly scrolling online ser- back in focus. Microsoft is email rival, Gmail, began
vices have driven us to also adding a "Timeline" rolling out a redesign this
distraction are beginning feature aimed at saving week that includes time-
time by more easily retriev- saving measures. One uses
ing documents or unfin- artificial intelligence to
ished work from the past 30 allow Google to help re-
days. spond to emails with quick
"Almost every application answers such as "Will do,
and web service is vying for thanks!" or "Sorry, I won't be
your attention," said Aaron able to attend."
Woodman, a marketing Facebook CEO Mark Zuck-
general manager for Mi- erberg surprised investors
This June 28, 2016 file photo shows Windows 10 operating on a
Microsoft Surface computer in New York. crosoft Windows. "Increas- earlier this year when he
Associated Press ingly, people are going to said he welcomed the idea
prefer environments where of fewer hours spent on his
to acknowledge that their enables workers to tempo- they can control and man- site, arguing that "helping
products can be a waste rarily switch off email and age their distractions." people connect is more
of time. Some of them now social media notifications It may be easier for Micro- important than maximizing
say they're trying to help. during times when they soft to create such limits, as the time people spend on
Microsoft is rolling out a need to keep their heads its business is far less reliant Facebook."
free update to its Windows down. They can allow mes- on advertising than Google The social network also
10 computer operating sys- sages from certain people and Facebook. With adver- on Friday said it is adding
tem Monday with new fea- to break through. tising in the mix, more time a "sleep" mode to its Mes-
tures to keep people in a Microsoft says the update is spent means more reve- senger Kids service to let
distraction-free zone. inspired by research show- nue. parents limit when their kids
The "Focus Assist" feature ing office workers are be- Apple's iPhone and can use it.q