Voice assistants Siri and Alexa are making kids rude and antisocial, scientists fear
Youngsters are not taught to say please and thank you, nor how to read body language.
Cambridge University’s Dr Anmol Arora warned: “Interacting with the devices at a crucial stage in social and emotional development might have long-term consequences on empathy, compassion and critical thinking.”
Writing in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood, he added: “With digital devices there is no expectation that polite terms, such as please or thank you should be used.
“There is no need to consider the tone of voice and whether the command being issued may be interpreted as rude or obnoxious.”