Keller Rohrback Investigates Hello Barbie Privacy Concerns

Keller Rohrback is investigating recent reports that Hello Barbie, a product of Mattel, Inc., violated children’s privacy by storing conversations between the Hello Barbie doll and child on a hackable cloud.  Of particular concern is the potentiality that the doll could be hacked by a predator who could talk directly with a child through the doll.

Hello Barbie is pre-programmed with more than 8,000 recorded lines and costs about $75. The doll retains up to three different WiFi locations and does not require a smart device after WiFi configuration.

Hello Barbie was recently named one of the worst toys of the year by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood which called it “the perfect storm of a terrible toy, and threatens children’s privacy, wellbeing, and creativity.” Concerns over the doll’s hackable cloud are both financial and safety-based.  Children are not only talking to the doll, they are talking to a large toy conglomerate whose primary interest in them is financial.  Even more startling is the apparent ease at which someone can take over the doll’s voice ask children questions like “where do you live?” or “is anyone home?”

“This talking doll presents a new low for consumer safety and privacy. Consumers should be able to trust that their children’s information and safety is secure, particularly when they are playing with a talking toy” said attorney Cari Laufenberg, a member of Keller Rohrback’s nationally-recognized complex litigation group.

Proven Success

Keller Rohrback L.L.P. is a leader in representing consumer and employee victims of data breaches.  Keller Rohrback has a long track-record of success with data breach litigation, including the Ninth Circuit case Krottner v. Starbucks, where the court held that the theft of a laptop containing employees' personally identifiable information sufficed to confer Article III standing on plaintiffs.

The firm also represents plaintiff employees in the Sony Pictures Data Breach case, currently pending in the Central District of California. In addition, Keller Rohrback represents plaintiffs in the Target consumer litigation, as well as data breach cases pending against Anthem Inc., Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, and Experian Information Solutions, Inc.

Keller Rohrback L.L.P., with offices in Seattle, Phoenix, New York, Ronan, Oakland, and Santa Barbara, serves as lead and co-lead counsel in class actions throughout the country. Our Complex Litigation Group is proud to offer its expertise to clients nationwide, and our trial lawyers have obtained judgments and settlements on behalf of clients in excess of seven billion dollars.