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This year’s 38th annual “Trouble in Toyland” report, produced by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, highlighted a new threat: “smart toys” that pose a privacy risk to children and families by collecting children’s data without parents’ knowledge or consent.
The annual “Trouble in Toyland” report, produced by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) and released before the holiday season, historically has focused on safety hazards found in traditional children’s toys.
But this year’s report highlights a new threat: “smart toys” that pose a privacy risk to children and families.
According to the 38th annual “Trouble in Toyland” report, released in mid-November, “Toys that spy on children are a growing threat.” The threats “stem from toys with microphones, cameras and trackers, as well as recalled toys, water beads, counterfeits and Meta Quest VR headsets.”
“The riskiest features of smart toys are those that can collect information, especially without our knowledge or used in a way that parents didn’t agree to,” said Teresa Murray, Consumer Watchdog at the U.S. PIRG Education Fund and author of the report. “It’s chilling to learn what some of these toys can do,” Murray said in a press release.
Murray told The Defender:
