A new "smart" Barbie doll's eavesdropping and data-gathering functions have privacy advocates crying foul.No word on whether Mattel plans to share suspected Double Plus Ungood Thoughtcrime with Big Brother.
Toymaker Mattel bills Hello Barbie as the world's first "interactive doll" due to its ability to record children's playtime conversations and even respond once the encrypted audio is transmitted to a cloud server, much in the way that Apple's Siri voice assistant works.
No doubt the software has had extensive security review to make sure it's not hackable.
Next, "I See You Barbie", equipped with real eyes that gather video and send it to the cloud.\
ReplyDeleteFollowed, of course, by "Child Service Barbie" when "I See You Barbie" sends pictures of a crying child to the cloud.
"Child Services Barbie" comes equipped with "County Sheriff Ken" to enforce the protection order from "Juvenile Judge Barbie".
I'd address other Barbies (http://shop.mattel.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=3785721), but this isn't the proper forum for such matters.
Lol. I get that it is creepy - but it isn't like the potential for misuse of listening devices (or worse visual recording devices) around children doesn't already exist in spades. Many young children are already given Siri capable iPhones or iPads (or the android equivalents). What about laptops with built-in cameras and microphones?
ReplyDeleteCreepy? Yes, but mostly from the whole talking doll perspective, not necessarily the listening capability.
Does it make kids any less safe? No.
So can we now officially add "NSA Domestic Spy" to the 130 other careers Barbie has had over the years?
ReplyDeleteWonder when they'll come out with a Talking Tina.....
ReplyDeleteWonder when they'll come out with a Talking Tina.....
ReplyDelete