Toys that “spy” on children are a growing, “scary” threat, a new study from the consumer watchdog has warned.
US PIRG Education Fund states 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 notes that more and more toys use technology features — even though they don’t seem to.
“It’s scary to know what some of these toys can do,” Teresa Murray, co-author of the “Trouble in Toyland 2023” report, said in a statement.
“Smart toys can be useful, fun or educational, but interacting with some of them can create a frightening situation for too many families.”
The global market for smart toys grew to $16.7 billion this year from $14.1 billion last year, according to a large market research firm, and is forecast to more than double by 2027.
The consumer watchdog states that certain toys that record children’s voices, images, locations and other information pose a risk to children’s safety and privacy. Diego – stock.adobe.com
However, experts are sounding the alarm that the tech toys are increasing safety risks for children, 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 and still experimental technology is integrated into products advertised for children as young as 3 years old.
The agency advises shoppers to research products on children’s wish lists “before purchasing toys with microphones, cameras, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity or any ability to collect information about young children.”
The report comes after the Federal Trade Commission accused Amazon of violating federal child privacy laws through its Alexa service by storing recordings of children’s voices, horror stories of hackers talking to children through their baby monitors and an 11-year-old girl being kidnapped by a the man he met through the online gaming platform Roblox.
The US PIRG Education Fund recommends gift-givers make sure they understand the toy’s technological capabilities, do a web search for the toy to read product reviews and research the toy’s manufacturer to check for a history of worrisome violations.
Some toys have been caught improperly collecting and storing data and even being hacked. Getty Images The agency advises shoppers to research products on children’s wish lists. Getty Images/iStockphoto
Questions to ask when shopping:
- What features make this product a smart toy?
- Does it have a secure Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection?
- Does the toy allow the child to connect to the internet and send email or connect to social media?
- Does it have a microphone or camera? If so, when will it be recorded and how will you know?
- What is the toy’s privacy policy? What information does it collect? How is it stored and used?
- Who has access to the collected data?
- Does the toy manufacturer have a history of troubling violations?
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
