Danny Yadron reports:
In September, Mattel’s Fisher-Price brand announced it had partnered with a tech company to make Smart Toy, a stuffed bear that can learn a three-year-old’s name.
Naturally, it’s hackable.
Researchers at Rapid7, a Boston-based security company, found that the app connected to the Fisher-Price toy had several security flaws that would allow a hacker to steal a child’s name, birthdate and gender, along with other data. The toymaker encourages parents to use the app so that the toy can better interact with children.
Read more on The Guardian.
Parents: avoid the “smart” toys that put your child’s privacy and security at risk. There’s nothing wrong with the older, “dumb” toys that allow your child to use their imagination to create their own interactions. Heck, remember all the fun you could have with an empty cardboard box? “Smart” is not necessarily better.