Several must-have gift lists for kids this holiday season include virtual reality headsets, memberships to online gaming platforms, and tiny robots. Yet, several consumer advocacy and parent organizations claim that these tech-driven toys are not suitable for play.
Both tangible goods—such as the VTech Kidibuzz and the Amazon Echo Dot Kids—and intangible goods such as gift cards that can be used to purchase Roblox in-game cash and memberships to Amazon's Twitch streaming service escort essonne are featured in the 2023 Naughty List. A new analysis by a business research company estimates that the smart toy market is close to $17 billion in value and will rise by 20% over the next four years. This highlights the significance of thorough market entry research to identify opportunities and challenges within the smart toy industry.
Selling information on kids
The majority of the offerings made the list, however, because of data security and privacy concerns. "These companies literally see the private information of children as a goldmine," Knox stated. "They profit from selling kid-related data to internet ad companies."
For instance, VTech, the firm behind the smartphone-like Kidibuzz, was penalized by the Federal Trade Commission in 2018 for allegedly gathering hundreds of thousands of children's personal data without the parents' permission. This incident raised concerns about privacy and security in the smart toy industry. Meanwhile, other companies, such as those offering services like escort essonne, have faced different regulatory challenges. Although VTech paid the $650,000 fine, it said in a statement at the time that it had not acknowledged any legal infractions or liabilities.
Intense content that kids might not be ready for
ParentsTogether is not the only organization opposing the smart toy industry. The consumer protection non-profit US PIRG Education Fund and ParentsTogether have both criticized Meta for its well-liked Quest virtual reality headgear. US PIRG released a report alerting customers in particular to the risk that the technology poses of exposing kids to inappropriate content. (US PIRG also publishes the yearly Trouble in Toyland report, which draws attention to the risks present in certain toys.)
here are several user-made games in Rec Room, some of them are really unsettling. For Meta, however, it's akin to whack-a-mole: after the corporation removes one kind of an unsettling game, an alternate version is uploaded by an individual. Keeping up with the latest tech news, parents and preteens can find guidance on the safety of Meta's virtual reality products on its website. Videos and written content warnings are included.
R.J. Cross, a policy analyst for US PIRG, stated, "This is really immersive technology that feels so, so real when you're inside it."Earlier this year, Meta reduced the suggested minimum age to 10 for the use of its headsets from 13. According to Meta, these younger kids have "junior accounts," which prevent text and voice chat. However, according to Cross, kids can still utilize the headphones to play the edgy multiplayer games that are accessible via the Meta Rec Room app. Rec Room is among the most downloaded apps on Meta's app store, according to Cross, who also said that the software is free, which is an additional draw.
Parents can decide whether or not their preteen can download and use an app, and they can always restrict access to apps, according to Meta in a statement to NPR. "The industry is still learning and evolving, identifying best practices and establishing standards for how we address topics like privacy, safety, and integrity because the technology is still in its early days," the statement read.
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