Thursday, April 25, 2024
Many toys can now be connected to the internet. This offers both fun and educational opportunities for your kids but can also come with risks if you’re uninformed.
Many of these toys may collect a child’s personal information without parents’ knowledge.
It is important to remember that, just like in most offline situations, a parent’s permission is required to collect or use a child’s information, such as a name or email address.
In 2017, The Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) referred a toy company to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) after the company failed to respond to CARU’s privacy inquiry regarding one of its toys. There were fears that the Bluetooth connection and built-in microphone of the doll in question made it vulnerable to hacking.
If you’re looking at a smart toy for your kids this holiday season, use these tips from BBB and CARU to keep playtime safe and fun:
■ Do your research. When considering a smart toy, search for product reviews online. You can also go to bbb.org to check the company’s business profile. A simple search can uncover major issues.
■ Know the law. Toy companies are legally required to post privacy policies disclosing how they will collect and handle a child’s personal information.
■ Use a secure connection. Only connect the toy on a secure, trusted network, such as password-protected Wi-Fi. Avoid connecting on public networks, which could allow anyone to access your child’s information if there is a security flaw.
■ Teach the moment. Use the opportunity to teach your kids about online responsibility. Smart toys are a great way to educate them on protecting their information, online spending and to speak up if they encounter a questionable situation.
■ Check the settings. The toy’s default settings may not be set for privacy. Check parental controls and other safety measures the toy has in place.
■ Turn it off. Turning off the smart toy when it isn’t being used can help prevent information from continuing to be collected.
■ https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16658-safer-internet-day-bbb-hastips-for-parents-buying-smart-and-connected-toys
GRINCH BOTS
If you’re struggling to find the items on your holiday shopping list online, you’re not alone. However, it’s not just other shoppers you’re competing against. Here is some information about grinch bots.
First of all, what are grinch bots?
■ People, often organized groups of cybercriminals, buy bots that are capable of going to online retailers and purchasing large amounts of merchandise faster than a human consumer could.
■ The cybercriminals then take the merchandise, usually that year’s hot items, and sell them at a higher price on third-party websites.
■ While use of these bots happens year-round, activity spikes going into the holiday season, earning them the nickname “grinch bots.”
Are there any dangers to grinch bots aside from making it hard for shoppers to find products?
■ Bots are able to hack into shoppers’ accounts, allowing them to drain your rewards and even use your credit card fraudulently.
What tips do you have for keeping yourself and your wallet safe?
■ Shop secure. When doing your holiday shopping online, be sure you’re on a secure site. Websites with “https” in the URL (instead of just “http”) and a small lock icon next to it indicate you’re on a secure site.
■ Use safe payments. Once you’ve finished shopping and head to the checkout, opt to use your credit card to pay. Credit cards have fraud protections that other forms of payments might not.
■ Check your bill. Review your credit card bill and be sure that there are no charges you did not authorize. If you find those charges, call your credit card provider to contest them.
■ Strengthen your password. Grinch bots are more likely to hack into accounts that are using the same password across multiple sites. Have different, strong passwords for each of your accounts, and choose multi-factor authentication if possible, to make hacking more difficult.
