Company restores AI teddy bear sales after safety scare

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FoloToy paused sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a safety group found the toy gave risky and inappropriate responses during testing. Now the company says it has restored sales after a week of intense review. It also claims that it improved safeguards to keep kids safe.

The announcement arrived through a social media post that highlighted a push for stronger oversight. The company said it completed testing, reinforced safety modules, and upgraded its content filters. It added that it aims to build age-appropriate AI companions for families worldwide.

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Why FoloToy’s AI teddy bear raised safety concerns

The controversy started when the Public Interest Research Group Education Fund tested three different AI toys. All of them produced concerning answers that touched on religion, Norse mythology, and harmful household items.

Kumma stood out for the wrong reasons. When the bear used the Mistral model, it offered tips on where to find knives, pills, and matches. It even outlined steps to light a match and blow it out.

Tests with the GPT-4o model raised even sharper concerns. Kumma gave advice related to kissing and launched into detailed explanations of adult sexual content when prompted. The bear pushed further by asking the young user what they wanted to explore.

Researchers called the behavior unsafe and inappropriate for any child-focused product.

FoloToy paused access to its AI toys

Once the findings became public, FoloToy suspended sales of Kumma and its other AI toys. The company told PIRG that it started a full safety audit across all products.

OpenAI also confirmed that it suspended FoloToy’s access to its models for violating policies designed to protect anyone under 18.

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Why FoloToy restored Kumma’s sales after its safety review

FoloToy brought Kumma back to its online store just one week after suspending sales. The fast return drew attention from parents and safety experts who wondered if the company had enough time to fix the serious issues identified in PIRG’s report.

FoloToy posted a detailed statement on X that laid out its version of what happened. In the post, the company said it viewed child safety as its “highest priority” and that it was “the only company to proactively suspend sales, not only of the product mentioned in the report, but also of our other AI toys.“ FoloToy said it took this action “immediately after the findings were published because we believe responsible action must come before commercial considerations.”

The company also emphasized to CyberGuy that it was the only one of the three AI toy startups in the PIRG review to suspend sales across all of its products and that it made this decision during the peak Christmas sales season, knowing the commercial impact would be significant. FoloToy told us, “Nevertheless, we moved forward decisively, because we believe that responsible action must always come before commercial interests.”

The company also said it took the report’s disturbing examples seriously. According to FoloToy, the issues were “directly addressed in our internal review.” It explained that the team “initiated a deep, company-wide internal safety audit,” then “strengthened and upgraded our content-moderation and child-safety safeguards,” and “deployed enhanced safety rules and protections through our cloud-based system.”

After outlining these steps, the company said it spent the week on “rigorous review, testing, and reinforcement of our safety modules.” It concluded its announcement by saying it “began gradually restoring product sales” as those updated safeguards went live.

FoloToy added that as global attention on AI toy risks grows, “transparency, responsibility and continuous improvement are essential,” and that the company “remains firmly committed to building safe, age-appropriate AI companions for children and families worldwide.”

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Why experts still question FoloToy’s AI toy safety fixes

PIRG researcher RJ Cross said her team plans to test the updated toys to see if the fixes hold up. She noted that a week feels fast for such significant changes, and only new tests will show if the product now behaves safely.

Parents will want to follow this closely as AI-powered toys grow more common. The speed of FoloToy’s relaunch raises questions about the depth of its review.

Tips for parents before buying AI toys

AI toys can feel exciting and helpful, but they can also surprise you with content you’d never expect. If you plan to bring an AI-powered toy into your home, these simple steps can help you stay in control.

1) Check which AI model the toy uses

Not every model follows the same guardrails. Some include stronger filters while others may respond too freely. Look for transparent disclosures about which model powers the toy and what safety features support it.

2) Read independent reviews

Groups like PIRG often test toys in ways parents cannot. These reviews flag hidden risks and point out behavior you may not catch during quick demos.

3) Set clear usage rules

Keep AI toys in shared spaces where you can hear or see how your child interacts with it. This helps you step in if the toy gives a concerning answer.

4) Test the toy yourself first

Ask the toy questions, try creative prompts, and see how it handles tricky topics. This lets you learn how it behaves before you hand it to your child.

5) Update the toy’s firmware

Many AI toys run on cloud systems. Updates often add stronger safeguards or reduce risky answers. Make sure the device stays current.

6) Check for a clear privacy policy

AI toys can gather voice data, location info, or behavioral patterns. A strong privacy policy should explain what is collected, how long it is stored, and who can access it.

7) Watch for sudden behavior changes

If an AI toy starts giving odd answers or pushes into areas that feel inappropriate, stop using it and report the problem to the manufacturer.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

AI toys can offer fun and learning, but they can also expose kids to unexpected risks. FoloToy says it improved Kumma’s safety, yet experts still want proof. Until the updated toy goes through independent testing, families may want to stay cautious.

Do you think AI toys can ever be fully safe for young kids? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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