Electronic toys with internet connections or artificial intelligence software can collect and use data about children, expose children’s data through security breaches and lead to more targeted advertising to kids.
As the holiday season approach and people look for gifts, some consumer advocates are recommending families be wary about buying increasingly popular smart toys because of the data and privacy risks involved.
A Dec. 8 report from CALPIRG Education Fund, a research advocacy group, found electronic toys with internet connections or artificial intelligence software can collect and use data about children, expose children’s data through security breaches and lead to more targeted advertising to kids. R.J. Cross is the director of Don’t Sell My Data and the report’s author and warned parents smart toys can bring new risks. The report noted apps could trick kids into making unsupervised in-app purchases, like upgrading character’s clothes.
“It’s frankly ridiculous that toys can collect so much data and use it for many different purposes beyond just playing with your kids,” Cross said. “Parents may not know about these things because they may not expect a toy to have these types of capabilities.”
The report also noted smart toys could hinder language development and social skills. As kids develop speaking skills, they often need multiple tries with human support to work through breakdowns and improvements. Cross said research she has looked at shows smart toys potentially makes kids more prone to frustration.
“Smart toys do not have that level of empathy and ability to work through a kid’s communication breakdown and don’t have the patience,” Cross said. “It can be frustrating for kids to have a toy saying over and over again, I can’t understand you or cutting a kid off.”
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A smart toy can have a WiFi or Bluetooth connection, microphones, cameras and sensors. Smart toys can often have a conversation with kids or use the internet to transmit a child’s words to external servers so it can talk back. Some of the more popular ones are interactive robots. More people have smart toys around as prices have fallen and technology has become more common. According to the report, small toy revenue will reach $18 million in 2023, a nearly 200% increase from 2018.
When considering whether to buy a smart toy, the report recommends keeping the toy age-appropriate because conversational toys are bad fits for young children developing language skills. It also suggests researching and considering if all the features are appropriate, looking closely at privacy conditions, and buying a toy that requires a physical component to connect to the internet. The report recommends more supervised playtime when kids play with the toy, turning it off when not in use and completing all security updates. Cross said parents would be surprised by how much data is collected. She recommended looking up if the toy has any news about privacy violations. While it is a chore, it is crucial to understand what data is collected and if toy manufacturers are sharing data. The report found smart toys that can have free-flowing conversations with kids have the most potential to lead to excessive data collection.
Cross suggested more enforcement and federal oversight is needed as smart toy usage increases, like laws prohibiting collecting unnecessary data. Cross said established toy manufacturers are partnering with tech companies to create them. Toy manufacturers are becoming more careful, but there is much room for more transparency. Cross is worried about the future as more smart devices and wearables like Apple watches become commonplace, along with augmented reality devices that gather physiological data. Cross said so much data is being collected in toys and society because advertisers want to monetize it. She warned that toys could enable a new era of data collection on children.
“There is going to be far more data points about people than ever before and more companies with an interest in collecting that data,” Cross said.
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