Is That Smart Toy Spying on Your Kids? A Parent’s Gift-Buying Guide

A toy that talks back, a smartwatch so your kid can call you, a baby monitor you can check from work. These are great gifts, and some of them collect a surprising amount of information: voice recordings, photos, location and how your child uses them.

That doesn’t mean skip them. It means spending five minutes checking a few things before you buy, and another ten setting them up properly.

What Connected Toys Can Collect

• Voice recordings from toys with microphones and voice assistants.
• Photos and video from toys and monitors with cameras.
• Location from kids’ smartwatches and tracking devices.
• Personal details entered during app setup, like a child’s name and birthday.
• Usage data about how and when the toy is played with.

Check These Before You Buy

1. Does it really need to be online? Many toys work fine offline. Choose the offline version when you can.
2. Read the privacy policy’s basics. Look for what’s collected, whether it’s shared with third parties and how to delete it.
3. Look for a parent dashboard where you can review and delete recordings.
4. Check the brand’s track record. Search the toy name plus “security” or “data breach.”
5. Prefer push-to-talk microphones over always-listening ones.
6. Make sure the app gets updates. Toys from unknown brands often stop getting security fixes.

Set It Up Safely

1. Use a strong, unique password for the toy’s app account and turn on two-factor authentication if offered.
2. Give the least information possible. A nickname instead of a full name, no exact birthday unless required.
3. Turn off features you don’t need, like social sharing or location history.
4. Connect it to your guest Wi-Fi network if you have one.
5. Update the toy and app when updates arrive.
6. Before you sell or donate it later, factory reset it and delete the account.

Baby Monitors and Kids’ Smartwatches

Wi-Fi baby monitors are cameras in a nursery, so treat them like any security camera: unique password, two-factor login, updated firmware. A non-Wi-Fi monitor that only talks to its own parent unit avoids internet risks entirely. For kids’ smartwatches, check who can see the location, who can call the watch and whether strangers can message it.

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FAQ

Are smart toys safe for kids?

Many are, when set up carefully. Choose reputable brands, limit what data you share and turn off features you don’t need.

Can smart toys record my child?

Toys with microphones or cameras can. Check whether recording is always on or push-to-talk, and whether you can delete recordings.

What’s the safest type of baby monitor?

A monitor that connects only to its own parent unit, without Wi-Fi, avoids internet-based risks. Wi-Fi monitors are fine with strong passwords and updates.

Do kids’ apps and toys have to protect children’s data?

In the US, COPPA rules require companies to get parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13. Enforcement isn’t perfect, so still check settings yourself.