Again, on the former, incorrect. The latter? Not veiled at all: Completely up front. Read the TOS, specifically 3a. I warned you not to do what you clearly did: You impugned my honesty.

Not at all irrational. You are merely being argumentative. The examples of Samsung, etc. were given in the OP and borne out in Mattel's own 'disclaimer' and beyod that share information (no specific limitations) with their "agents and service providers". The info is supposedly sent onward to a data processing firm. That creates an even greater breach in your security.

It is when the violations occur in situations of dishonesty in negotiation (i.e. the act of selling), and illicit intent which if couched in tiny print is no defense for the firm. No one is entitled to violate your 4th Amendment rights without a warrant except in very exigent circumstances...of which the sale of a Barbie Doll isn't one.

Way too far....

Since honesty is a character trait, accusing one of of dishonesty (directly or by innuendo and/or equating the posting to the corporation in question's motives) is de facto an ad hominum attack. Were you to say 'exaggerated' or something akin, that would be a different matter, as would not equating the posts ethics/morals to the corporation in question's.

As for "much ado about nothing"? That's your opinion. I as well as others in this thread remain less than convinced of the purity of Mattel's goals.

As I was reading the O/P yesterday it did cross my mind how what was until very recently indicative of clinical paranoid thinking is now more of an informed observation of fact.  It really is kind of surprising to me how quickly the population moved from respecting and preserving privacy to "Meh, privacy is not as amusing to me."  The population is indeed buying the transition, both figuratively and literally.  It's almost as if no one would ask the very fundamental question:  "Is it really a good idea to have little girls carrying around a doll that transmits audio to the internet?"

I think I like that guy.

1. Fact.  Mattel is intending to release a doll which records a child's conversations.

2. Fact.  A child is not legally [or mentally] competent to distinguish any potential for endangerment from such 'conversation'.

3. Fact.  Parents are NOT universally, absolutely guaranteed to be competent to effectively police and/or protect their children from harm.

4. Fact [apparent].  Mattel has determined that profit via improved market targeting is more valuable to them than a child's privacy.

I can argue facts with the best of them.

The ONLY 'fact' that is a plus for Mattel is that they have NOT YET released the doll.

Now, reference was made to 'shit happens'.

Sometimes it's nice to be able to pre-empt the arrival of new happening shit...and suggest it need not happen.

Re 'Fact 3.' - example...the frequency that sees SUV [4WD] People Movers [in particular] running over their rug-rats in their own driveways.....

Oh, it's OK.

Shit happens.

I'm not sure fear is the right word to describe most responses. I myself am not fearful of this product, I find it incredibly arrogant for a company to presume that collecting data without permission is acceptable. Of course we don't really know how Mattel plans to approach this matter. Children under the age of 13 are suppose to have parental consent to participate.

I am curious why anyone would want to defend such practices but...

Now I'm wondering if I've been misunderstood.  When I said "it's now more of an informed observation of fact", I meant exactly that, there was no sarcasm.  It used to be "crazy" to think there were devices everywhere watching and listening, now it's the truth.

 Personally I'm going to hold out for the "Chucky" doll. It will give me a great opportunity to screw with all the people and companies behind the curtain.

I'll tell you why!  You do nothing but argue and be confrontational, which for me is a complete turn off.   Put bluntly, you are not somebody I wish to converse with.

Now we're done... no further input to you from me, and I shall ignore yours/

lol this thread serves a good example of why in Star Trek Humans (esp. in ENT) are more successful than Vulcans )))

pretty sure i read about some kid's toy doing something similar a few months back. beats me what it was though. think i read it around the same time as the tv stuff. maybe it was this?

Welcome to new era... well I read about spying tv's and dolls. But then there is Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram social networks that milions are addicted to, they like to post what they do every day.. willingly..

And what about smart phones, browsers, even windows or other OS. You feel safe? You have installed some security software or you are behind a firewall?

Today privacy is a delusion, the only ones who can have real privacy are people away from civilization in the jungle somewhere and some very important and powerful ones who have the ways to create really private rooms..

Personally I have no Facebook I had for a couple yrs to play games nothing else, I always thought as a waste of time and boring. I don't want to make my life public nor I want to use Google products Chrome or being constantly connected to Google or Facebook and have them following me everywhere.

Recently it was revealed Facebook spys on you even if you don't have a profile just with cookies. Either you visit your daily news site or game site facebook is there somewhere to "like"

Devices, machines, toys get smarter and people become nothing but data how to use them for making better promotional campaigns to extort more money.
Everything revolves around money today nothing else is more important but money. Who cares about privacy or human values? Gone out of the window...

And of course date are always available on request by goverment all around the world. It doesn't matter if it's Russia, US, France or some small country. They do know everything about you and me. They create their own profiles about a person and those data are available to use anyway they like. Prohibit you from visiting a country because of something you said a couple years ago? Rejecting you application, or being accepted in a company because you don't "fit". You name it..

Everyone loves technology but we have to be careful with it and how we use it.

On the news I caught last night they told(and showed) you how to turn that off for samsung's, LG's and another TV I don't remember.