As of: December 13, 2023 2:13 p.m
There are a few pitfalls when buying toys online. Networked smart toys pose risks because security gaps can arise. How can you identify safe toys? Tips for consumers.
Buying toys online is particularly popular: According to the Federal Statistical Office, around 42 percent of toy sales are achieved through online sales. This puts toys in third place among the product groups. But buying online has its pitfalls: On the platforms of large online retailers, it is often only possible to find out where manufacturers are based through a targeted search with many clicks. On some websites, no manufacturer is specified at all, so it is not possible to understand where the product comes from before purchasing.
Risks when purchasing online from non-EU countries
If toys from non-EU countries do not meet German safety standards, are defective or turn out to be counterfeit products, claims are often difficult to assert, warns the consumer advice center. Manufacturers from non-EU countries do not have to adhere to local laws. Buyers often prefer to keep the product because returning it is difficult or not worth it due to high costs.
To avoid disappointment, consumers should pay attention to the details when purchasing online: important information can usually be found in the product descriptions Size, material, delivery times, manufacturer and country of origin. If important information cannot be found even after many clicks, it is better not to purchase.
Smart Toys: Be careful with permanently connected toys
Thanks to their technical inner workings, intelligent toys, so-called smart toys, are able to answer questions, respond to commands and thus interact with the child. This can support the child’s learning process. To fulfill this task, smart toys are equipped with cameras, microphones or sensors, for example.
Non-networked smart toys are fully functional even without an internet connection and are either not connected to the internet at all or, for example, only connected to the internet during software updates. Data is processed locally, within the toy. Permanently networked toys, on the other hand, establish a Bluetooth or Internet connection each time they are used, which can often be controlled via an app. Security gaps can arise, particularly with networked smart toys, according to the consumer advice center.
Insecure Bluetooth, identity theft or data misuse
Parents should find out more about the technical functions before buying smart toys.
For example, if a cuddly toy with a loudspeaker and microphone has poorly secured Bluetooth connections without a password, theoretically any smartphone user within range can access the toy, eavesdrop on the child and, in the worst case, contact him. If data is collected on manufacturer servers, children can also become victims of identity theft which are misused for orders, for example.
There is also a risk that data will be used to create profiles of children in order to create personalized advertising. According to consumer advice centers, what sounds harmless can take on undesirable proportions: not only data that has to be entered for use, such as the name or age of the child, may be collected. Manufacturers or third parties could also record data from conversations or use photos.
Intelligent toys: make people aware of dangers
Smart toys are not bad in and of themselves. It is important that parents are aware of the risks. Before buying a smart toy, you should check what functions the digital toy has, whether there is a constant connection to the Internet and whether microphones record everything. Smart toys that only process data locally and are not connected to an external server should be preferred. Data should not be entered carelessly, but rather limited to the necessary minimum. If in doubt, the consumer advice center advises against purchasing.
Toys can be dangerous for small children
The red warning means: Risk of strangulation or suffocation for children under three years of age.
Anyone who buys digital and non-digital toys in stores can examine them with all their senses. Consumers should make sure that the toy does not have any sharp edges or protruding parts. These can come off and be swallowed by small children. Toys for older children in particular, such as dollhouses, often contain plastic parts that smaller children can choke on. Toys with long straps, such as skipping ropes, pose a risk of strangulation.
Pay attention to smell when buying toys
If toys smell unpleasant, this could be an indication of harmful substances in the materials that can trigger allergies. Consumers should therefore leave toys with a strong smell or staining materials on the shelf. According to consumer advice centers, inexpensive toys in particular are often not subject to adequate security checks. But even expensive toys can be defective.
Product safety: GS and CE marks
Consumers can recognize safe toys primarily by the GS mark, which stands for “Tested Safety” and therefore meets the standards of the German Product Safety Act. Labeling by the manufacturer is voluntary. The CE mark indicates that a product complies with EU directives and may be sold there. However, there is no independent testing of the product. Consumers should choose toys with the GS mark over those with the CE mark.
Anyone buying toys for small children should also pay attention to warnings about age restrictions. In addition, information about the manufacturer or importer should be found on toys. If this information is missing, the toy should not be purchased or returned.
Recognize safe toys
Consumers should check toys for safety. You should pay attention to these points:
GS and CE marks (be careful when buying online from abroad, GS marks are sometimes faked)Sharp edges or protruding parts are taboo on toysStability (danger of suffocation due to small parts coming loose)Flaws in workmanship (e.g. broken seams, pressed seams or Fillings coming out of stuffed animals)Toys must not smell or rub off (pollutants)Adhere to specified age restrictions are critical (especially for very cheap toys)
Buy sustainable and fair toys
If you value sustainability when buying toys, you should make sure that wood comes from sustainable forestry or that material comes from organic farming. However, the terms “eco” and “organic” are not protected, warns the consumer advice center. Online buyers should therefore find out more about the origin and material in the product descriptions.
Certain quality seals provide guidance when searching for sustainable and fair products. The “GOTS” seal, for example, stands for low-emission fabric toys with organically grown fibers. The “FSC” seal is given to wooden toys whose wood comes from sustainably managed forests. And the “WFTO” seal is intended to help consumers recognize fairly produced toys. Fairly produced toys can also be purchased in workshops for people with disabilities.
Further information
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