Genesis Toys' Cayla doll has been deemed a 'surveillance' doll by the German Federal Network Agency.

Turn it off, bin it or bury it they advise. "Items that conceal cameras or microphones and that are capable of transmitting a signal, and therefore can transmit data without detection, compromise people's privacy," said agency president Jochen Homann in a statement. "This applies in particular to children's toys. The Cayla doll has been banned in Germany."

The doll comes with a microphone for capturing the child’s speech and is blue-tooth connected to the web to answer questions.

Germany's network watchdog said any toy capable of transmitting signals and surreptitiously recording audio or video without detection is unlawful. The danger comes when speech is transmitted without the parent’s knowledge. It can also be hacked to say whatever the hacker wants.

Pen Test Partners refers to Cayla as "a bluetooth headset, dressed up as a doll."

Parents are being warned to destroy the doll by the Federal Network Agency. It assumes that "parents will take it upon themselves to make sure the doll does not pose a risk."

Source: The Register