BBB Safety Tips for Parents Buying Smart and Connected Toys this Holiday Season
Arlington, Va. (PRWEB) December 15, 2017 -- Teddy bears once filled with stuffing are now hard-wired with smart technology. Internet-connected toys can be fun but they can also put your family at risk if proper care is not taken when buying and using these devices.
Now, more than ever before, The Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) encounters toys that may collect personal information (e.g. name, email address) from children. Unfortunately, this may be done without parents knowing it’s happening. Much like many offline experiences where parent’s permission is required before collecting or using your child’s information, the online world is the same: parental permission is required! These connected toys aren’t inherently bad; in fact, they can be highly educational and fun as long as parents are well-informed and choose wisely. But if you choose the wrong toy, there can be consequences (check out our issues we had with a recent smart toy here)
Santa checks his list twice and responsible parents should too -- you may be surprised to find that with some toys, privacy is not included. Don’t let your children’s smart toys outsmart you, ‘tis the season for parents to do their Ho-Ho-Homework before bringing a smart toy home.
Read CARU’s tips to help your family have a safe holiday season with smart toys on BBB.org.
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MEDIA CONTACTS: For more information, journalists for national media outlets should contact Katherine Hutt (212-705-0131 or [email protected]). Journalists for local media outlets should contact their regional spokesperson (bbb.org/bbb-locator).
Katherine Hutt, Council of Better Business Bureaus, +1 (703) 247-9345, [email protected]
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