Illustration by RJ Matson; Courtesy of families (Karthik and Lydia)

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Should We Be Polite to Alexa?

Do you say “please” and “thank you” when speaking to Amazon’s Alexa or Siri from Apple? If you do, you’re not alone! About two out of three Americans say they are polite to smart speakers and other devices. That’s based on a recent survey.

Many people think being polite to technology can help kids build good habits. They point out that it’s rude to bark orders, even if you’re talking to a device.  

But other people disagree. They say there’s no need to be kind to machines. After all, you wouldn’t say “please” and “thank you” to a refrigerator.

Here’s what two of our readers say.

It’s always a good idea to be polite, even when we’re speaking to machines. Saying “please” and “thank you” to Alexa, Siri, and other devices can help kids practice having good manners. That way, we’ll know how to be kind when talking with people.

Saying “please” and “thank you” to Alexa is a waste of time. I’m always polite to people, but Alexa isn’t a person. We don’t have to worry about hurting its feelings. It doesn’t have any! Plus, we don’t say “thank you” to other devices, like the TV remote. That would be silly.

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