A while back the Cloud Pets smart stuffed animals were hacked. A US senator is still raising the subject and wants better control and security for the toys.
Senator Mark Warner sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission asking about what it has done do make toys safer. Warner is worried that the FTC is not giving enough importance to the topic.
Warner wants to know if the FTC has done anything to respond to the Cloud Pets hack and also the My Friend Cayla privacy incidents, Engadget reports.
He wants to know if the COPPA law needs an upgrade to keep pace with modern technology and security. Senators have also previously written to the FTC about the subject.
There’s no actual guarantee that the Commission will respond, let alone promise actions. Lately the FTC has said it needs to focus on concrete harms, but it also acknowledged that data leaks of almost any kind can harm people.
There’s certainly such risk for kids and their toys. Spying on kids and their parents via smart toys is wrong on so many levels. It’s certainly a severe risk and should not be underestimated by both toy manufacturers and authorities everywhere.
