Mattel Faces Criticism Over Talking Barbie Doll: It is Wi-Fi Enabled with In-Built Microphone

Afraid of losing out about 14% of their market share to new generation gadgets, the makers of Barbie, Mattel have decided to rope put a new version in congruence with the one wish children all over the world have had for years. This version priced at $74.99 is a WiFi enabled version with a microphone embedded in the belt buckle of the toy.

The voices recorded would be stored in a Cloud Server which would have a storage time of almost two years. Furthermore, children all over the world would be more than happy that their favorite companion, the 56 year old Barbie line is going to be able to talk to them. The makers have also incorporated voice recognition software to interpret commonly used words so that the Barbie can reply appropriately. Besides keeping in mind the children's safety, it has been decided that the entire log on process to the server would have to be authenticated by the parents themselves who would then be provided the privilege to listen to all the conversations recorded by their children.

However, this move has led to advocacy groups objecting the move to manufacture this product and asking Mattel to do away with this proposal. Campaign for Commercial Free Childhood has criticized this move on the grounds of Mattel encroaching upon the privacy of these young souls by listening in on their conversations. Defending Mattel, Jim Silver, the editor in chief of the toy review site TTPM has been remarked as saying that though it is imperative to worry about children's safety but this is not that time.

However, everything comes with their own pros and cons. It is thus hoped that the advocacy groups and Mattel can work out a way to fulfill the one thing children especially girls all over the world have been asking Santa Claus for years.