• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle

‘Chilling’: Smart Toys Are Increasingly Recording and Tracking Your Kids, Warns Watchdog Report

December 25, 2023
BOB RUBIN: AI Is Reshaping Capitalism, Smart Investors Are Paying Attention

BOB RUBIN: AI Is Reshaping Capitalism, Smart Investors Are Paying Attention

June 27, 2025
John Fetterman Breaks With Democrats To Back Trump’s Bombing Of Iran

John Fetterman Breaks With Democrats To Back Trump’s Bombing Of Iran

June 27, 2025
Elites’ Private Jets Drive More Emissions Than All Flights Leaving One Of World’s Biggest Airports, Study Finds

Elites’ Private Jets Drive More Emissions Than All Flights Leaving One Of World’s Biggest Airports, Study Finds

June 27, 2025
Pulitzer-Winning WaPo Reporter Charged With Alleged Possession Of Child Porn

Pulitzer-Winning WaPo Reporter Charged With Alleged Possession Of Child Porn

June 27, 2025
Liberal Justices Melt Down Over Ending District Court Judge Power Grab, Warn Of ‘Our Collective Demise’

Liberal Justices Melt Down Over Ending District Court Judge Power Grab, Warn Of ‘Our Collective Demise’

June 27, 2025
Supreme Court Allows Cut in Funding for Teacher Training

Texas Law Aimed At Blocking Kids From Online Pornography Upheld By Supreme Court

June 27, 2025
DAVID BLACKMON: Enviros Head To Memphis For Another Attack On American Industry

DAVID BLACKMON: Enviros Head To Memphis For Another Attack On American Industry

June 27, 2025
WHO Group Fails To Find Origins Of COVID-19

WHO Group Fails To Find Origins Of COVID-19

June 27, 2025
Judge Gives Abrego Garcia’s Attorneys The One Thing They Were Hoping For

Judge Gives Abrego Garcia’s Attorneys The One Thing They Were Hoping For

June 27, 2025
EXCLUSIVE: House Conservative Says He Can’t Be Pressured To Support Senate’s Version Of Trump Bill

EXCLUSIVE: House Conservative Says He Can’t Be Pressured To Support Senate’s Version Of Trump Bill

June 27, 2025
EXCLUSIVE: Top EPA Official Breaks Down Why Agency Needs To Get Back To Basics After Biden Years

EXCLUSIVE: Top EPA Official Breaks Down Why Agency Needs To Get Back To Basics After Biden Years

June 27, 2025
‘Jackas*ry Has To Stop’: John Kennedy Tells GOP Rep To Quit Crying About Slashed Deduction For Blue State

‘Jackas*ry Has To Stop’: John Kennedy Tells GOP Rep To Quit Crying About Slashed Deduction For Blue State

June 27, 2025
  • Donald Trump
  • State of the Union
  • Elon Musk
  • Tariffs
  • Congress
  • Faith
  • Immigration
Friday, June 27, 2025
  • Login
IJR
  • Politics
  • US News
  • Commentary
  • World News
  • Faith
  • Latest Polls
No Result
View All Result
IJR
No Result
View All Result
Home FaithTap

‘Chilling’: Smart Toys Are Increasingly Recording and Tracking Your Kids, Warns Watchdog Report

by Western Journal
December 25, 2023 at 10:48 am
in FaithTap, News
240 12
0
491
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Santa’s watchful eye will have an unyielding rival this Christmas: smart toys, according to a November watchdog report.

In an article titled, “Trouble in Toyland 2023,” the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund warned of the threat of increasingly popular toys loaded with artificial intelligence.

The report listed a number of playthings and their concerning spy-like technology, and also gave advice as to what to do about them.

Nowadays, even “simpler” toys and games are equipped with data-gathering A.I. They’re often rigged with cameras and microphones for facial and vocal recognition and even GPS tracking.

Many toys, like miniature soccer balls and play doctor’s kits, come with apps and can connect to the internet or Bluetooth.

Some are geared toward children as young as 3 years old, according to the report.

For example, Fisher Price’s Smart Toy Bear was meant for children 3 – 8.

The bear could listen, talk and record conversations for future reference, according to PIRG. But in 2019, the product was discontinued because of the app’s vulnerability to hacking.

In October, an 11-year-old New Jersey girl was kidnapped by a man who allegedly contacted her on Roblox, a popular gaming platform. In this case, she was later found safe, but she was more than 100 miles from her home, according to The New York Post.

Roblox denied the two met on the platform, according to the Daily Mail.

“It’s chilling to learn what some of these toys can do,” said the PIRG report’s co-author, Teresa Murray, in a news release. “Smart toys can be useful, fun or educational, but interacting with some of them can create frightening situations for too many families.”

Privacy isn’t the only concern. Health is potentially at risk, too.

For instance, PIRG mentioned the unknown effects of virtual reality and Meta Quest headsets. Because the technology is still so new, it is too early to know how it will affect developing brains.

“It’s just not worth the risk right now,” Dr. Mark Bertin, a developmental pediatrician and assistant professor of pediatrics at New York Medical College, told PIRG.

The report recommended a number of precautions parents should take to protect their children:

  • As a basic step, parents should know whether the toy connects to the internet.
  • If the toy has a microphone or camera, parents should know when it’s recording and how they will know it’s recording.
  • The report also suggested looking at the toy’s specific privacy policy online, not just the company’s policy in general.
  • Parents should research the toy company to see whether it has a history of controversy or privacy concerns. Online reviews of the product are also a good way to find complaints and red flags raised by other parents, according to PIRG.

Like it or not, smart toys have become a reality.

The global market for them grew to $16.65 billion in 2023, up from $14.11 billion in 2022, according to Research and Markets, a global market research firm.

It’s expected to grow to $35.11 billion by 2027.


 

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.

Tags: Big BrotherBig GovernmentBig TechChristmasholidays
Share196Tweet123
Western Journal

Western Journal

Advertisements

Top Stories June 10th
Top Stories June 7th
Top Stories June 6th
Top Stories June 3rd
Top Stories May 30th
Top Stories May 29th
Top Stories May 24th
Top Stories May 23rd
Top Stories May 21st
Top Stories May 17th

Join Over 6M Subscribers

We’re organizing an online community to elevate trusted voices on all sides so that you can be fully informed.





IJR

    Copyright © 2024 IJR

Trusted Voices On All Sides

  • About Us
  • GDPR Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Editorial Standards & Corrections Policy
  • Subscribe to IJR

Follow Us

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Politics
  • US News
  • Commentary
  • World News
  • Faith
  • Latest Polls

    Copyright © 2024 IJR

Top Stories June 10th Top Stories June 7th Top Stories June 6th Top Stories June 3rd Top Stories May 30th Top Stories May 29th Top Stories May 24th Top Stories May 23rd Top Stories May 21st Top Stories May 17th