Since 2015, the advent of smart and internet-connected toys has, according to some practitioners, transformed this age from that of the “Internet of Things” to the “Internet of Toys.” The potential unlawful surveillance and hackability of such toys have raised privacy issues, for both parents andnational security agencies.

In July 2017, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a public service announcement warning parents that their children’s new internet-connected toy could be secretly spying on them. The FBI warned that “[t]hese toys typically contain sensors, microphones, cameras, data storage components, and other multimedia capabilities—including speech recognition and GPS options.” It also encouraged parents and consumers to consider cybersecurity before introducing smart, interactive, and internet-connected toys into their homes. The FBI’s release highlighted that the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is the law that protects children from the privacy risks associated with internet-connected toys. The FBI encouraged all consumers to“research areas and circumstances concerning the toys and Web services where laws may or may not provide coverage.”

Originally published in Landslide - January/February 2021.

©2021. Published in Landslide, Vol. 13, No. 3, January/February 2021, by the American Bar Association. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association or the copyright holder.**