Parents told to destroy baby doll because of spying fears

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Parents told to destroy baby doll because of spying fears

 

The doll answers users’ questions by using a web connection

 

Parents in Germany who bought their children a talking doll are being urged to destroy it due to spying fears.

 

There are concerns the software inside 'My Friend Cayla' could be hacked, allowing personal data to be accessed.

 

The technology, which allows a user to chat to the doll, carries a risk of espionage and could compromise privacy, said the country's Federal Network Agency.

 

The organisation's chief Jochen Homann said: "The Cayla doll is banned in Germany. "This is also about protecting the weakest members of society."

 

The doll has a microphone and its software means it can respond to a person's questions by accessing the internet.

 

Researcher Stefan Hessel alerted the agency after examining the toy, which was created by American company Genesis Toys.

 

 

He said hackers could use an unsecure bluetooth device embedded in it to listen and talk to the child playing with it. “Researchers discovered that by connecting one phone to the doll through the insecure Bluetooth connection and calling that phone with a second phone, they were able to both converse with and covertly listen to conversations collected through the My Friend Cayla and i-Que toys,” read the FTC complaint.

 

Mr Hessel told German website Netzpolitik.org: "In a test, I was able to hack the toy even through several walls. It lacks any security features."

 

It added: "We would always expect parents to supervise their children at least intermittently.

 

In December, the Electronic Privacy Information Centre (EPIC) filed a complaint to the US Federal Trade Commission about Cayla.

 

EPIC claims the "toys subject young children to ongoing surveillance" and violate privacy and consumer protection laws.