By Jenn Riggle
Barbie dolls don’t normally scare me. But last week, I saw a commercial for the new Barbie Video GirlTM, and to be honest, it gave me the creeps.
The doll looks like a regular Barbie, but has a camera lens hidden in her necklace and a small color LCD screen with controls on her back. She even has a mini-USB port so girls can transfer video to their computer to edit it and add music and graphics – or post it to the Internet.
Is it me, but should we encourage six year olds to take videos and post them to the Internet?
We’ve all read about teens and college students posting inappropriate photos and videos on their Facebook pages. Can we expect more from first graders?
Or more importantly, TechCrunch suggests that in the wrong hands, the Barbie webcam could be used to take videos of unsuspecting children. Teddy bears have been used as “nanny cams.” So what’s to stop Barbie being used the same way – especially since her eyes don’t turn red when the camera is on?
Kids today are growing up with technology. You’ve probably seen toddlers watching cartoons and videos on their parents’ iPhones. Like their parents, kids love these magical phones, which The New York Times recently described as “the most effective tool in human history to mollify a fussy toddler.”
In fact, new research shows that 92 percent of American children under the age of 2 already have an online presence, thanks to photo-sharing on websites like Facebook. And while sharing cute baby pictures seems innocent enough, people need to be careful about disclosing a lot of personal information, such as birth dates, middle names and mothers’ maiden names – which can be carelessly inserted into photo captions – and can aid identity thieves.
Let’s hope Santa doesn’t bring your daughter a Barbie Video Girl for Christmas. Instead, maybe he’ll bring the Computer Engineer Barbie. While this doll doesn’t have an LCD screen in her back and batteries in her legs, Mattel worked with the Society of Women Engineers and the National Academy of Engineering to select her accessories – a smartphone, a Bluetooth headset and a hot pink laptop.
And besides, wouldn’t you rather your daughter embrace her inner geek than learn how to be a member of the paparazzi?
That is the creepiest thing I’ve ever heard. A Barbie with her own webcam?
Hi Kyle-
I’m glad I’m not the only person who thought this was a scary concept. And while I love the idea of getting kids using tech as a young age, they really shouldn’t be posting videos without adult supervision.
Thanks so much for commenting!
Jenn