An important part of your research is reading the toy’s privacy policies before you turn it on or set it up. (More on this in the next section.)
Look for these words in fine print
Current Children’s privacy law America isn’t doing much to protect children in the 21st century, says Cross. So it’s often the responsibility of parents to decide what kind of data they’ll agree to and disagree with—and that often means reading the toy’s privacy policy. “I hate to give that advice, but the fine print is where you are most likely to find information on key questions,” she says.
To find the toy’s privacy policy, see the back of the manual or search online. If the toy has a companion app or website, be sure to read their terms and conditions carefully before you hit the big green Accept button.
If you can take the time to read fine print, keep these questions in mind:
- What data is being collected about users?
- What is it being used for?
- Where will it end?
There are keywords you should look for: “Data” is the biggest word—Cross recommends doing a Ctrl-F search to read every instance of “data.” You can also look for the words “microphone”, “camera” and “location”. To learn how data is shared, search for the words “vendor,” “third party,” “marketer,” or “advertiser.”
It is important to acknowledge that only parents with plenty of time can read the fine print to read through the dense legal language, which is not always offered in languages other than English.
A good sign of a thoughtfully designed and privacy-protected toy is if the fine print is easy to find and read. “If it’s not presented in French and you can understand what’s going on, that’s usually a pretty good sign that they’re trying to be transparent,” says Cross.
Perform augmented reality check
You may have heard of augmented and mixed reality games like Pokémon go, Mario Kart Live: Track at homeor Lego’s AR App. Your family may already own a VR headset. As complex augmented reality toys become more common, it becomes more important to be aware of the data they collect.
Augmented reality, or XR, relies heavily on sensor data. Daniel Berrick, policy advisor at Future of Privacy Forum, whose work focuses on technology and consumer privacy law issues. This means that the device is tracking body and eye movements, as well as surroundings, to make the game more engaging—after all, the VR headset needs to track how the human body is you move to pass the game Ninja fruit or defeat the sword. Devices also collect usage and data across apps, such as the amount of time users spend on an activity and the type of content they interact with. It will also use location data.
If you’re evaluating XR devices or games for your child, be extra cautious about switching data access. (More on this in the next section.) Since XR games tend to be more immersive and potentially more intense, Berrick recommends checking the age ratings to make sure the experience is appropriate. suitable for your child.
Lock privacy settings
If a toy includes privacy settings, make sure you’ve set them to collect as little data as possible, says Cross. Some toys may have parental controls that help you monitor your child’s activity or limit the time they spend with the toy. Consider turning them on. Take every opportunity to set up secure password and multi-factor authentication.
“Don’t be afraid to fabricate information,” says Cross, if a website or companion app asks you for personal information about your child. A website or app may ask for a child’s date of birth to ensure that the child is old enough to use it. You are not required to provide an exact or even exact date of birth.
Sometimes, toys collect data to make the game experience more engaging or immersive. For example, eye tracking in VR games makes player avatars more realistic. Berrick recommends weighing what is right for your child based on the age and nature of the game. Does the game allow players to interact with others over the internet? If so, you may want to set a more restrictive limit. Is your child playing alone or just with trusted friends? You might consider loosening the digital reins.
Play time tracking
Have you come this far and decided to keep smart toys in your home? Just make sure that playtime takes place in a supervised environment. If you don’t want to leave a small child at home alone with a baseball bat within reach, don’t leave them alone with a potentially hacked toy.
It’s entirely possible for technology suitable for children To inspire all the fun and imagination you want in a toy, just add a little fumbling with fine print and the ever-present shadow of privacy risks. Or you can simply buy them a similarly good device Skis ready.
