Your New Best Frenemy: Hello Barbie and Privacy Without Screens

Abstract

Hello Barbie, a "smart toy" that uses voice recognition and wifi to interact with children, has raised significant privacy concerns among commentators. She represents not only a new type of toy but is also a device categorized in the Internet of Things. This Critical Engagement investigates what privacy means and how it is effectuated when there is no screen to provide notice and consent by asking how one knows if Hello Barbie can keep a secret.

Keywords

• smart toys
• privacy
• surveillance
• comparative policy
• Internet of Things