Tin Can – The landline, reinvented for kids

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Emergency calling (911/E911)

  • Many argue 911 should be enabled on all devices/tiers by default, regardless of cost, especially for a kid-focused product that looks like a phone.
  • FCC/E911 obligations for “interconnected VoIP” are cited; some think Tin Can may not be strictly bound but still has a moral and liability risk if it looks like a normal phone and fails in an emergency.
  • Others note 911 access usually has per-line fees and infrastructure costs that don’t scale with actual call volume, making “just eat the cost” non-trivial, especially with a large free user base.
  • One concern: kids may assume 911 works and waste critical time when it doesn’t; counterpoint: if the child previously had no 911 access, they are not objectively “less safe.”
  • Misuse/false-call anecdotes surface, but many still think always-on 911 is the right default.

Business model, pricing, and “just VoIP?”

  • Core criticism: it’s “just a VoIP phone” with kid branding, priced at ~$75 plus $10/month when cheaper VoIP lines or ISP-provided VoIP exist.
  • Defenders say the value is in the parent-friendly app, whitelist-only calling, simple UX, and not having to self-host or support other families’ setups.
  • Some see the markup as “nostalgia as a service” and a classic millennial-parent subscription play; others find the price reasonable for a polished, low-friction solution.

DIY, alternatives, and technical depth

  • Multiple recipes offered: SIP server + ATA + analog phone; Asterisk/FreePBX or FreeSWITCH + low-cost trunks; Callcentric/Voip.ms/BulkVS/others; Google Voice workarounds; MagicJack; or just plain ISP VoIP.
  • Several note these lack easy inbound/outbound whitelisting and child-focused UX, which is seen as Tin Can’s main differentiator.
  • Debate arises between “this is easy if you’re technical” and “most parents have neither the skills nor time.”

Privacy and data collection

  • Privacy policy notes collection of children’s voice audio (for calls/voicemail), call logs, device identifiers, and use of parent-provided contacts.
  • Some worry this is broad and vaguely scoped, especially in two-party-consent jurisdictions; others speculate it may be limited to what’s technically needed but find the wording unclear.

Longevity, lock-in, and target users

  • Strong concern about e-waste and “lifetime calling” that depends on the company’s continued existence and closed backend; calls for open protocols, configurable VoIP servers, and right-to-repair.
  • Product is seen as appealing for young kids and possibly dementia patients who need whitelisted, scam-free calling.
  • Skeptics note that older kids already gravitate to chat apps and walkie-talkies, making landline-style calling feel like “putting the lid back on the can of worms.”