Microsoft 'Siri-killer' muzzled by Fed rule

Cortana, Microsoft’s voice assistant that ups the battle against Apple’s Siri and Google’s Google Now, is being silenced for kids due to a government regulation.

Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8.1 operating system, tested now by developers and soon to be released by wireless carriers, includes technology that allows users to issue commands by talking to their phone. The system is so unique from rivals’ offerings it’s triggering government rules that limit its use by anyone under the age of 13.

If a user 12 or younger tries to activate Cortana, they’re presented with a screen reading, “I’m sorry, you’ll need to be bit older before I can help you.”

Microsoft’s voice system cannot be used by anyone under the age of 13 since it’s considered an online service, which falls under the coverage of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA. COPPA governs how much information a person under 13 years of age can share online without parental consent. And since Cortana takes such a personalized approach, it triggers the rule.