Connected toys bring fresh security concerns
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month in some regions — and ITU News is running a series of articles related to cybersecurity, such as the one below.
We are living in an increasingly connected world where the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud technologies are moving into our homes and our lives. Now, even children’s toys are ‘connected.’
Connected toys may come in the form of squeezable stuffed animals, dolls, or plastic dinosaurs, with built-in electronic components such as speakers, wireless receivers and transmitters, recording devices, and cloud connection capability.
These toys are capable of ‘listening’ and having conversations.
In some cases, they learn by interacting with kids – the recordings of voices and data are uploaded and stored in the cloud, helping toys to become smarter day by the day. Some more sophisticated IoT toys are equipped with cameras, motion activators and sensors, and Bluetooth.
The growing popularity of Internet-connected toys, however, raises privacy issues as well as cybersecurity concerns.
Between high-tech toys and privacy – where do we draw the line?
A research study conducted by the University of Washington found that many child participants in the study did not know the connected-toys were listening and recording their conversations, and their parents were concerned about their children’s privacy being violated.
“Tech companies themselves are taking a much more proactive approach. They understand that they need to make sure their products are trustworthy, safe, and have privacy controls otherwise people won’t use them,” — Stephen Balkam, Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI)
What’s more? Personal information stored in the cloud and, conversations and activities occurring within the house, school or day-care facilities could be easily obtained by cyber criminals.
“There has just been this rush to market by a number of toy manufacturers because they see that kids are so enthralled by electronics that they also want to do the same for toys,” Stephen Balkam, Founder and CEO of Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI), told ITU News. “We are hoping to strike that message to toy manufacturers.”
A message for parents – beware of the red flags
Before purchasing a connected toy, parents should be knowledgeable of how the toy works, its capabilities, what type of data it can collect and where they are stored.
Parents should also do sufficient research and look out for red flags that could pose potential security risks. For example, check if there are any known security issues associated with the product as well as the toy company.
RELATED: How to keep your kids safe online?
FOSI has just launched an original publication in July, Connected Families, that looks at parental attitudes – not only fears and concerns but also hopes and aspirations of these connected devices and toys in their homes.
“We are going to keep raising awareness of what this new world looks like in the way that we did ten years ago when suddenly we had a world with Web 2.0 and mobile technologies that didn’t exist ten years before that,” Balkam asserts.
The Institute also works with tech companies on improving the trust and safety aspects of software products and safety-proof the products prior to launch.
“Tech companies themselves are taking a much more proactive approach. They understand that they need to make sure their products are trustworthy, safe, and have privacy controls otherwise people won’t use them,” said Balkam.
FOSI is a member of ITU’s COP initiative, which is committed to create an international collaborative network and promote online safety for children worldwide.
Learn more about ITU’s Child Online Protection (COP) initiative and take advantage of online tools and resources here.
By Nicole Jao (@nicole_i_jao), ITU News
