Toys that “spy” on children are a growing and “scary” threat, a new study by a consumer watchdog has warned.
He US PIRG Education Fund noted that certain toys that record children’s voices, images, locations and other information pose a risk to children’s safety and privacy.
The organization also noted that an increasing number of toys use technological features, even when they don’t appear to be doing so.
“It’s chilling to know what some of these toys can do,” said Teresa Murray, co-author of the study. Report “Problems in Toyland 2023”he said in a statement.
“Smart toys can be useful, fun or educational, but interacting with some of them can create scary situations for many families.”
The global smart toy market grew to $16.7 billion this year from $14.1 billion last year, according to a large market research companyand is expected to more than double by 2027.
However, experts are sounding the alarm, warning that such tech toys are becoming an increasing risk to children’s safety, as some have been caught improperly collecting and storing data, and even being hacked.
The growing threat of AI has also infiltrated the toy industry as this advanced, still experimental technology is being integrated into products advertised for children as young as 3 years old.
The agency advises shoppers to research products on a child’s wish list “before purchasing a toy with a microphone, camera, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection, or any ability to collect information about young children.”
The report arrives after The Federal Trade Commission accused Amazon of violating federal children’s privacy laws through its Alexa service by retaining children’s voice recordings, horror stories of hackers talking to children through their baby monitors, and an 11-year-old girl being kidnapped by a man he met through the online gaming platform Roblox.
The US PIRG Education Fund recommends that gift-givers make sure they understand the technological capabilities of the toy, conduct a web search for the toy to read product reviews, and research the toy manufacturer to see if there is a history of worrying violations.
Questions to ask when purchasing:
- What features make this product a smart toy?
- Do you have a secure Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection?
- Does the toy allow the child to connect to the Internet and send emails or connect to social networks?
- Does it have a microphone or camera? If so, when will it be recorded and how will you know?
- What is the privacy policy of the toy? What information are you collecting? How is it stored and used?
- Who has access to the collected data?
- Does the toy maker have a history of troubling violations?
