• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechMattel

Mattel Cancels Baby-Monitoring Smart Hub Amid Privacy Concerns

By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 5, 2017, 6:09 PM ET

Mattel is shelving plans for a high-tech baby-monitoring device amid privacy concerns.

The toy maker, known for Barbie dolls and Hot Wheels cars, said Wednesday that it was killing its upcoming Aristotle smart hub that works similar to web-connected speakers like the Amazon Echo and Google Home.

The company told The Washington Post that new executives like chief technology officer Sven Gerjets, who joined the company in July, reviewed the gadget and determined that it did not “fully align with Mattel’s new technology strategy.”

Mattel (MAT) first showed off the device in January during the annual Consumer Electronics trade show in Las Vegas and pitched it as a way for parents “to protect, develop, and nurture the most important asset in their home—their children.” The Aristotle smart hub contained a Wi-Fi-connected camera, microphone, speaker, and lighting system that could do things like automatically dim the lights when it hears a child cry or recognize when diapers are low.

Microsoft’s machine-learning technologies were supposed to help the device recognize and respond to human voices and “learn patterns and autonomously act upon user habits to aid in child development and learning,” according to a press release.

Mattel previously said that the device was built with “COPPA compliance in mind,” a reference to a Federal Trade Commission rule intended to protect the privacy of children.

However, several privacy activists and lawmakers were dissatisfied with Mattel’s claim. A consortium of pediatricians, academics, and privacy advocates sent Mattel a letter this week urging the company to sell the device as planned.

“Young children shouldn’t be encouraged to form bonds and friendships with data-collecting devices,” the letter said. “Aristotle will make sensitive information about children available to countless third parties, leaving kids and families vulnerable to marketers, hackers, and other malicious actors.”

The Washington Post also noted that Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.) also sent Mattel a letter questioning the company about its data-gathering practices.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Mattel’s cancellation of its latest toy comes at a time when the company is undergoing a technological transformation under new CEO Margo Georgiadis, a former Google executive. Georgiadis joined Mattel earlier this year a little after the company announced the Aristotle smart hub.

The now-abandoned Aristotle smart hub exemplifies the rise of voice-activated web-connected devices like Amazon (AMZN) Echo that learn to adapt and respond to their owners.

Although devices like the Echo and Google Home are intended to be used by adults to answer questions or changing music, big tech companies are also debuting features for children to make them useful for entire families. For example, Google (GOOG) said this week that it had partnered with Disney (DIS) on a new Google Home feature in which its voice-activated Google Assistant will read Disney-themed stories to children.

Fortune contacted Mattel for more information and will update this story if it responds.

About the Author
By Jonathan Vanian
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jonathan Vanian is a former Fortune reporter. He covered business technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data privacy, and other topics.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Success
Even with $850 billion to his name, Elon Musk admits ‘money can’t buy happiness.’ But billionaire Mark Cuban says it’s not so simple
By Preston ForeFebruary 6, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Gen Z Patriots quarterback Drake Maye still drives a 2015 pickup truck even after it broke down on the highway—despite his $37 million contract
By Sasha RogelbergFebruary 7, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Nestlé’s CEO drinks 8 coffees a day, but says Gen Z staffers are his secret to staying sharp by ‘learning constantly’
By Emma BurleighFebruary 5, 2026
3 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Larry Ellison and Jeff Bezos have seen more than $66 billion swiped from their net worths since the start of this year as AI-driven slump sees tech billionaires’ wealth free-fall
By Emma BurleighFebruary 6, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of February 6, 2026
By Danny BakstFebruary 6, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Crypto
Bitcoin whales and ETFs are bailing out of the market; UBS warns: ‘Crypto is not an asset’
By Jim EdwardsFebruary 6, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.


Latest in Tech

AITech
Meta’s multi-million-dollar Super Bowl ads may not just be about its smart glasses—but about selling Wall Street on Zuckerberg’s AI future
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezFebruary 8, 2026
14 minutes ago
Mark Cuban
SuccessView from the C-Suite
In the AI era, Mark Cuban, Mary Barra, and even Sam Altman have one tip for Gen Z: unplug and go analog
By Preston ForeFebruary 8, 2026
1 hour ago
Successwork-life balance
NBA star Metta World Peace says Kobe Bryant taught him that no matter how hard you work, someone else is working harder
By Orianna Rosa RoyleFebruary 8, 2026
2 hours ago
Personal FinanceBill Gates
Bill Gates is shedding houses that are part of his $132 million Xanadu 2.0 compound—a reversal from his feelings about downsizing
By Sydney LakeFebruary 8, 2026
2 hours ago
EconomyFintech
Dorsey’s Block cutting up to 10% of staff in efficiency push
By Natasha Mascarenhas, Emily Mason and BloombergFebruary 7, 2026
14 hours ago
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, left, listens to Jacob DeWitte, CEO of Oklo, speak as US President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 23, 2025.
EnergyNuclear
Next-gen nuclear’s tipping point: Meta and hyperscalers start deals with Bill Gates’ TerraPower, Sam Altman-backed Oklo, and more
By Jordan BlumFebruary 7, 2026
15 hours ago