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Reports: Amazon's Alexa updated after telling child to use penny on live plug

The device said it found the viral TikTok trend online.
Credit: Sergio Lugo - stock.adobe.com

Amazon says it's addressed an issue with its Alexa voice assistant after a child was challenged to touch a live plug with a penny, according to multiple reports. 

The BBC reports that a 10-year-old girl asked Alexa for a challenge to do. The device responded with: "Plug in a phone charger about halfway into a wall outlet, then touch a penny to the exposed prongs." 

The child's mother, Kristin Livdahl, would tweet about the incident. She said the Alexa device claimed it had found the challenge online. 

The viral TikTok trend, named "the penny challenge,"  became popular last year. However, the risk of getting electrocuted and causing fire damage led to fire officials across the country warning parents. 

Luckily, the BBC reports that the child was smart enough not to attempt the challenge. 

Amazon told the news outlet it had updated Alexa to prevent it from recommending that activity in the future. 

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