Some toys this holiday season come with data and privacy concerns, experts warn

A good rule of thumb, advocates say, is to really consider whether a toy or device needs to be Internet-connected or gather certain kinds of data at all. Why does the Hydroflask need your kid's location data? Should your kid's mirror collect and store images of your kid's face on the cloud? — Image by gstudioimagen on Freepik

The KidKraft toy kitchen looks normal as kids toy kitchens go. There are all the trimmings you'd find in an adult sized-kitchen: a fridge, oven, stovetop and sink. Plastic and wooden utensils and foods are tucked away in drawers or in the small pantry.

What makes the kitchen distinct isn't obvious. Many of the items include RFID chips that allow sensors placed around the kitchen to register them. Say a child is pretending to fry something on the stove, a speaker might play a sizzling sound. The RFID capability can attach to Echo Dots, Amazon's Alexa-hosting smart speaker product.