Parents warned that AI robot toy could be used by web perverts to target kids

09 March 2024 , 22:05

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The Miko Robot can cost up to £224

Parents are being warned web perverts may target an AI-powered kids’ toy, available on Amazon.

Makers of Miko Robot, described as “a smart companion for your child”, say can it interact with a youngster by name and alter its response according to their mood.

When setting up the £119 mini-bot and £224 larger model, parents are told to connect it to a wi-fi network, link it to an app on their phone and give the child’s name and age.

But software requesting the details fails to confirm who can access the device, according to web security firm Kaspersky. It says this means perverts could hack into the toy and secretly communicate with a child via video chat.

Kaspersky’s Nikolay Frolov said: “Even the most expensive smart toys may have vulnerabilities attackers can exploit. Parents must remain vigilant and closely supervise their child’s activities at playtime.”

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Nearly 34,000 online grooming crimes against children were recorded in the past six years, according to the NSPCC.

Last year, police handled 6,350 child sexual communication offences. Amazon and the Mumbai-based toy maker did not respond to requests for comment.

Miko’s Mumbai-based manufacturer said it had taken action to remedy the problem.

Saskia Rowlands