EMMA WITHROW, komonews/fact-check
A new wave of AI-enabled toys, primarily manufactured in China, is raising alarms among U.S. officials over potential data privacy risks for children.
According to a report from the Shenzhen Toy Industry Association and JD.com, these smart toys are part of a rapidly expanding market, projected to reach $14 billion in China alone by 2030. Globally, the market is expected to hit $25 billion by the same year.
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., expressed concerns about these toys, which are being marketed not only to parents but also to educators in the United States. In a letter from the House Select Committee on the CCP, addressed to Education Secretary Linda McMahon, the committee highlighted "data privacy and child safety concerns" associated with AI toys made by companies in the People's Republic of China (PRC).
One specific toy, BubblePal, has been identified as a potential risk. Manufactured in China, BubblePal clips onto a stuffed animal and operates using DeepSeek’s large language model. It stores voice data and conversation histories in cloud systems, which U.S. officials warn could be subject to PRC data-access laws. Since last summer, 200,000 units of BubblePal have been sold, targeting children as young as three.
The House committee is urging Secretary McMahon to launch a nationwide awareness campaign for educators, coordinate with federal agencies to enhance oversight, and provide clear guidance to parents on how their children's data could be used or misused. "Given the security risks and privacy concerns associated with these products, I urge you to initiate a campaign aimed at raising public awareness among American educators across the country on the potential misuse of the data collected with these devices," Krishnamoorthi wrote.
