Smart toys have surely the changed the way children intermingle with the world by injecting some life into kids’ playtime. However, the smart toys also raise big privacy concerns when an internet connection is involved.
Over 18 privacy concerned groups have filed complaints with both the US Federal Trade Commission and the European Union alleging that Genesis Toys, and its tech partner Nuance are violating deceptive practices and privacy laws through the way certain toys record kids' voices.
Toys such as ‘i-Que’ and ‘My Friend Cayla’ reportedly captured kids’ voices without any permission and sent it to Nuance. The groups claimed that the information could be used in the databases that Nuance sells to intelligence agencies or the police.
The privacy groups also accused Genesis of failing to prevent unauthorised Bluetooth devices from connecting to the smart toys. They claim that someone could eavesdrop on conversations, raising the threat of "predatory stalking and physical danger." Bluetooth usually requires being within 33 feet in order to connect, but it can still allow someone at a playground or any other place outside home to spy on unaware kids.
It is still uncertain whether or not the EU and FTC will take any action addressing the complaint. There is a huge possibility that this will prompt few companies to rethink how they make their smart toys, especially those that use camera sensors that can capture kids’ activity.
