Electronics, the Web and Kids

News of an "eavesdropping Barbie."  News from Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood:

At February's Toy Fair 2015 in New York City, Mattel unveiled "Hello Barbie," the Wi-Fi-connected doll that uses an embedded microphone to record children's voices—and other nearby conversations.

Georgetown University Law Professor Angela Campbell, Faculty Advisor to the school's Center on Privacy and Technology, said, "If I had a young child, I would be very concerned that my child's intimate conversations with her doll were being recorded and analyzed. In Mattel's demo, Barbie asks many questions that would elicit a great deal of information about a child, her interests, and her family. This information could be of great value to advertisers and be used to market unfairly to children."

Will you take a moment to ask Mattel CEO Christopher Sinclair to stop the marketing and production of "Hello Barbie"?

Also from the CCFC:

In April, CCFC and other leading advocates filed a Federal Trade Complaint against Google for engaging in unfair and deceptive marketing practices on its new YouTube Kids app. Our complaint – which made headlines around the world – detailed the ways in which Google failed to adequately separate advertising from content on the app, thereby exploiting children’s developmental vulnerabilities and violating long-standing safeguards to protect kids. 

We’ve documented some of findings in this video compilation.

Please add your name to the growing call to make sure Google keeps its word and provides a truly safe media environment for kids.

I'm sure you have seen this one but if you haven't, it's one mom on the warpath after her 13-year old daughter put up a Facebook page saying she's 19, a "freak" and posting a photo with just her bra on top.   The mom got very worried when she saw multiple posts from men to her daughter.  This was the fourth time her daughter had done this and this is why the mom made this videotape.  She ends with telling her daughter, "Tell them you're going to be in your room all summer reading books."  People are divided on this on after four times and after taking away her phone and other electronics, it is hard to know what else she could do.