It’s always a special moment to celebrate the achievement of a PhD, and it was extra special (together with promotion team Theo Araujo and Annemarie van Oosten) to watch our PhD student , Rebecca Wald, defend her dissertation “Hey Google, Welcome to the Family?!” Taking a Differential Perspective on the Selection and Use of Smart Speakers in Families” at the University of Amsterdam.
Rebecca’s work looks at how smart speakers — like Google Home or Amazon Echo — have made their way into Dutch households with young children, and what that means for privacy, parenting, and everyday life.
What She found
- Three in ten Dutch families with children aged 3–8 own a smart speaker. Most are Google devices, thanks to better Dutch language support.
- Families use them for “fun and function”: from playing music to activating smart devices, but also for jokes, stories, and playful moments with kids.
- Parents often say they are concerned about privacy, but in practice, few change default settings, a notable privacy paradox.
- Joint parent-child use is common (about 52%), while independent child use is rare (~10%).
- Digital skills and parental involvement make the biggest difference – not only for safety but also for enjoyment and meaningful family use.
“It’s not about whether families own a smart speaker, but whether parents teach their children to use it thoughtfully. That creates the best chance for safe use — and for family fun.” – R. Wald
A Proud Moment
Rebecca’s research sheds light on how technology quietly integrates into family life, often faster than we realize. It also underscores the importance of digital competence – helping families balance convenience and enjoyment with awareness and control. I am deeply proud of Rebecca for this work, for the careful way she connected research to real life, and for the insights she has given us into digital parenting and everyday media practices.
Congratulations, Dr. Rebecca Wald! 🎉 Here’s to your next chapter.