Critics call new Barbie doll creepy

INDIANAPOLIS (CNN) – Some critics are calling a new Barbie doll creepy.

It’s called “Hello Barbie.” Mattel, the manufacturer, says Hello Barbie can carry on conversations with kids.

The idea is that when a child talks to the doll, Hello Barbie sends the message over the Internet to Mattel’s computers, which then generates a response.

A group called “Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood” has concerns about how the toymaker will use whatever the child says, for example, to customize advertising.

Critics also worry about who has access to the child’s words once they hit the net.

Mattel says the doll meets government standards for privacy and security and says any data the doll collects is secure.