Kids today have the kind of toys their parents could only dream of. Everything from tablets to teddy bears could have motion sensors, speakers and microphones to make a toy that interacts almost as well as a real friend or parent. These “smart” toys learn children’s interests over time, so their play can become personalized. And while this may improve communication skills and has been found to increase concentration for children with intellectual disabilities, there are some real privacy concerns. Access to the internet with the possibility that personal information will be shared creates a new digital frontier that caregivers need to understand before purchasing the latest gadget for kids.

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