The FBI has warned parents of privacy and safety risks from children's toys connected to the internet.
In an advisory posted on its website, the Federal Bureau of Investigation says such toys could contain parts or capabilities such as microphones, cameras, GPS, data storage and speech recognition that could disclose personal information.
Normal conversation with a toy or in the surrounding environment could disclose a child's name, school, likes and dislikes and activities, the FBI said.
Smart toys and entertainment devices are gaining popularity for incorporating technologies that learn and tailor their behaviours based on user interactions.
In February, Germany banned sales and ownership of a talking doll named Cayla made by US company Genesis Toys, citing the risk of hacking associated with the toy. The country's Federal Network Agency recommended that parents who had bought the doll for their children destroy it.
