Echoes of Care: Unveiling the Intertwined Tensions between Childcare Work and Voice Assistants

Childcare workers, particularly in-home childcare workers and nannies, navigate the unique complexities of a job that is both paid and intimate. As domestic technologies like smart home cameras and voice assistants (VAs) become increasingly prevalent, nannies may interact with and need to navigate these technologies in their care routines. Although prior research has examined the use of VAs in family settings, little attention has been paid to nannies’ interactions with these emerging technologies. In this work, we present three scenarios – speculative yet grounded – to illustrate underlying tensions and issues that may unfold in nannies’ interactions with voice assistant technologies. We found that while VAs could deepen existing tensions around autonomy, responsibilities, and surveillance, they also held potential as tools for reflection and self-advocacy, enabling workers to renegotiate their responsibilities and identities. We conclude by discussing intertwined tensions between in-home childcare work and VAs, offering insights for designing more equitable domestic technologies.