This AI toy story is WILD

If you’ve felt that low-key (or high-key) panic of: “Am I supposed to be excited about AI… or terrified?” — same. And you’re not alone. A recent SheKnows piece basically put words to what we’re hearing everywhere: parents of teens are genuinely worried about what AI means for their kids’ futures. Careers, learning, opportunities, and the fact that it’s all moving faster than we can keep up. AI is already here… in their classrooms, their feeds, their group chats, and yes, apparently even in toys.

And that’s the part that’s messing with our heads: we’re trying to raise kids who are safe, confident, and ready for the future while also figuring out why a random device in our house needs a microphone and an internet connection to do its job. 

This is exactly why we made our new guide, The Parent’s Guide to AI. It’s something we needed to help us figure out how to parent our kids while the world goes through the biggest transformation since the internet itself. Our new AI guide includes information on the AI tools kids love to use, red flags to watch for, what settings matter, what conversations to have to set them up for success.

Learn more here!

Why AI and toys isn’t a great mix

This one is wild, but a great example of how AI tech is developing faster than security measures can keep up. So picture this: a mom buys an internet-connected AI toy for her kid and a neighbour who works in cybersecurity takes a look at it… and within about 30 minutes of poking around, they’re basically able to see every kids’ toy conversations online. 

Essentially, the company responsible for the toy left its web console almost entirely unprotected. Researchers who accessed it found nearly all the conversations children had with the company’s stuffed animals and anyone with a Google account could access them. This included names, birthdays, family info, what they like, what they’re scared of… all kinds of information that could be used for all kinds of reasons…

The company pulled the portal down and said they fixed it, but the bigger point is that if a device has a microphone and connects to the internet, assume at minimum the company can access what’s being collected and worst case, if security is sloppy, other people can too.

Action you can take tonight, even if you don’t have AI toys:

• Turn off microphone permissions on kids’ apps/devices unless truly needed.

• Check if the toy/device has a “delete recordings” option (and use it regularly).

• Keep internet-connected mic devices out of bedrooms if you can.

We cover all of this in our new guide, The Parent’s Guide to AI. Check it out here.

The fine print in Meta’s new parental alerts is doing a lot

Meta (owner of Instagram) recently announced they’ll notify parents if a teen repeatedly searches for terms related to suicide or self-harm within a short period of time. On paper, the concept is good. Like yes please, notify us if our kid is spiraling.

But it’s only for Teen accounts that are connected to a parent through supervision settings. Most teens are not using parent-connected supervision tools, so this won’t reach most families. Also, the wording says “repeatedly” and “within a short period of time”… which immediately makes us ask:

• How many times is repeatedly?

• How short is short?

• How long does my child have to be searching self-harm content before I’m informed?

And you’re not wrong to be skeptical about the timing. Meta has been facing legal pressure and scrutiny over how its platforms affect young users’ mental health and safety, and critics have argued these tools can feel like patchwork instead of true platform-level change.

This is not a parenting solution. This is a feature. And features are only helpful if your teen is set up the right way, you know it exists, and you trust the system to flag things early enough to matter. We want parents to have tools that don’t rely on vague thresholds and corporate definitions of concerning. 

If features and settings aren't something you’re feeling confident with, we recommend starting with our Screen Sense Guide for support. It’s got everything you need to know to set the right foundation to set your teen up for success. 

Cat here and I have news: I’m getting OUT THERE. Like, outside-outside. With my walking vest on. Feeling like a cross between a responsible adult, a crossing guard, and someone training for a marathon I did not sign up for.

But honestly it’s doing something to my brain in the best way. Fresh air, moving my body, pretending my vest makes me unstoppable… 10/10 recommendation.

If you see a woman power-walking like she’s late for a flight but smiling like she’s in a rom-com…it’s me. Here’s your sign to get out there if you’re able and let the good old outdoors do some work on your psyche! We all could use it right about now. 

—Cat & Nat