Goldilocks And The Interactive Bear: The Privacy Nightmare

A Wake-up Call: The Rise and Demise of Hello Barbie

Once upon a time, which happened to be close to around March 2015, Mattel introduced Hello Barbie, the world's first "interactive doll". With the press of a single button, the voice of its user was to be recorded and processed, and the Hello Barbie would respond to the question or statement recorded. The interactive doll appeared to be a dream come true for children and parents alike: for the former, an ever-present friend with whom to babble and play, and, for the latter, someone to provide answers and explanations to the incessant curiosity of their child, granting them a little respite. How could this not be a miracle?

However, soon after the release of Hello Barbie, cybersecurity commentators warned against the potential privacy risks of the interactive doll, and "connected toys" generally. As reported in a previous blog post, in November 2015, VTech, a Hongkong supplier of children's connected learning