A masking device for a virtual assistant, the masking device including a body configured to at least partially block a virtual assistant microphone of the virtual assistant, and an assistant initializer in or on an inside of the body. The masking device also includes a masking device microphone on an outside of the body, and a processor communicatively connected to the assistant initializer and the microphone. The processor is configured to employ the assistant initializer to control an audio communication channel to the virtual assistant in response to the microphone receiving a first audio key term from a user.