Over the years we have seen toys become more and more high tech in an effort to keep up with the growing trends our kids find appealing.. Now it’s Barbies turn. Mattel recently introduced us to “Video Girl” Barbie which is a Barbie doll with a small spy camera hidden inside her necklace. The camera allows kids to take their own videos that can be up to 30 minutes in length. But the new high tech Barbie has many parents outraged and demanding the “toy” be taken off the market.
A recent report from the Today show discusses the boycott that was instigated by Sally Anne-McCormack, an Australian psychologist, over the spy cam doll. McCormack believes this product will make it all too easy for kids to film inappropriate behavior and then upload it on the internet. She also believes adults can use the the doll to exploit children. McCormack says, “Boycott this product and refuse to shop in any store that justifies selling this potentially pornographic tool.”
The hidden camera doll seems especially inappropriate to a lot of parents probably because kids who play with Barbies are typically very young, many under the age of six. Because after all, what would a 6-year-old need a hidden camera in their room for? Others think the Barbie “Video Girl” doll is nothing new and will not allow kids to do anything they aren’t already doing on their cell phones that are equipped with cameras.
What do you think of the Barbie “Video Girl” hidden camera doll?
Would you purchase this doll for your child if they asked for it or do you think it is better off being boycotted?
No big deal children that age should not be old enough to know what inapproprate behavoir is... My daughter is six and I would allow her to have it but I would not purchase it myself because it is an over priced peice of junk.
I don't see the big deal. What exactly is it that you are so afraid your child will do with the Barbie that contains a camera that they won't do with any other Barbie? What is it that you are afraid that the secret video Barbie will enable any to do that they could not do without it? Be a parent, be an adult. If you don't like the doll, don't buy it ,but rather than trying to ban any possibility of evil ever entering your child's world (which would be impossible) doesn't it make more sense to teach your children how to recognize and avoid it? I never got the protect them from everything mentality. As a parent we cannot be the bubble that surrounds them at all times. You cannot avoid danger if you have never been taught how to recognize it.
I say if your child is trustworthy enough to have a Video Barbie.. let them! What is the difference between buying them Video Barbie or a digital camera that takes video?? My daughter has a camera and is getting a video Barbie for Christmas. We as parents need to be smart enough to teach our children about the evils of the world rather than blame a toy for some monster's actions! Are we as a society going to ban cell phones, web cams, ipods, nintendo ds, and whatever else has the potential to record pictures or videos of daily life because some weirdo might get their hands on it and misuse it? I say.. YOU GO VIDEO BARBIE! If Mattel can turn a profit and keep the girls interested in Barbie I say go for it. I highly recommend buying your little girl a Video Barbie for Christmas & teach her how to respect it. Most importantly teach her how to respect herself and others, teach her what is appropriate and not appropriate rather than take her toys!
I could see this getting into the wrong hands(child predators) and being used for lewd acts. If you want your kid to have a camera then buy them a camera. My daughter is way too young for this and I think it is inappropriate for the age of the girls that play with Barbie the most.
I think this is plain weird first off it looks silly, and how good of a picture can this Barbie take?...and for the people saying don't kids have cell phones with cameras??...well i can surely tell you when my daughter was 6 yrs old. she surely didn't have a cell phone..whoever came up with this stupid genius idea needs to be fired....
I don't think the idea behind the camera in the doll was to "SPY" on kids. I was looking at this barbie last week thinking "Why didn't they have this when I was a kid?" Its a toy they can record them selves on, It has a screen on the back of the barbie, so it's not like a girl wouldn't know it wasn't there. Its not a "hidden camera". Its a Barbie with a camera and a screen on it so the girls can record and watch themselves doing a music video with friends, or a mock interview.
I don't know if boycotting is the thing to do, I'm just not going to buy it. As for the people who say that children already have cells with cameras,it is true, but those children are a bit older and are probably not interested in barbies anymore.By the way, I'd rather be paranoid than sorry later. You can't be too cautious of perverts out in the world who use things that are meant to be harmless to harm children.
I would buy this doll. You can find kids cameras already. I don't think there's any problem with this. People are just paranoid!
Price is $49.99 from Mattel.com.
I think this is just plain dumb. Why would a barbie need a spy cam anyway? Or a child for that matter? Doesn't make sense and I would never buy this for one of my children...
Not something I would purchase. The lack of sales should clue in Mattel that this not what the consumers want. SavedByGrace, I agree with you, why does the camara need to be hidden any way? Why so sneaky?
Am I missing something? Don't kids have cell phones with cameras in them? It is not Mattel's responsibility to parent other people's children. If parents don't want their children to have this toy, they shouldn't buy it. As far as boycotting stores that sell this doll, I think it is a little extreme, and I don't appreciate other people trying to censor my ability to purchase products. Let's face it; technology is here to stay. Parents need to start being parents and teach their kids how to use technology safely and wisely
wierd. would not want one in my house that's for sure!
What is a child going to video? Every family has some kind of camera so why does a child have to have a video camera in a doll. When I played Barbies (many moons ago) nothing of that nature was ever thought of and we were fine playing with them. Why does technology wreck the imagination?
I agree! I saw this doll last night and think it should be taken off the market. Kids can be naturally mischevious, but why give them fuel to the fire?