The button placement on the "Trolls World Tour" doll has gotten a lot of parents very angry. The controversial button is placed right between the doll's legs, and the female toy giggles and gasps when it's pressed.
So, you can understand why parents don't want their kids playing with such a doll.
A Lot Of Parents Are Outraged
After this disturbing discovery, the parents have come together to have the doll taken off the market.
Surprisingly, the company responsible for making the doll, Hasbro, has taken note of these complains.
The Doll Is Now Off The Shelves
It's hard to blame the parents for forcing the company to make this decision. However, the company tried to explain that their intentions were not as depraved as some online users seem to think.
Apparently, the button was put there so that the doll would giggle and gasp when put in a sitting position.
Parents See Things Differently
Despite the company's explanations, parents don't think the button is appropriate. Every parent has probably had to deal, at one time, with critics who thought their parenting styles fell a little short.
Therefore, the internet is always on the lookout for the next big parenting mistake.
That helps explain why so many parents have attracted a lot of negative attention online for their parenting choices.
Usually, people are just blowing things out of proportion or purposely misunderstanding well-meaning parents.
That said; there are times when the parenting issue under discussion is quite serious.
These Days, Keeping Kids Safe Is Hard
Even though parents have gone to such great lengths to have a doll taken off the shelves for its "inappropriate" button placement, there isn't much they can do to protect their kids online.
Apps like YouTube and TikTok are now favorites among children all around the globe. Therefore, coming across a topic that might expose them to something harmful and inappropriate is the easiest thing ever.
Parents Have To Teach Their Kids To Be Safe
The question is: at what age do you start teaching your kids about online safety?
Fortunately, science has an answer.
Kids Begin An Important Part Of Cognitive Development From Age 2 To 7
In their second stage of development, children start to learn how to deal with symbols. This is according to Piaget's theory of cognitive development.
This process starts during the preoperational stage.
At This Stage, Children Also Learn How To "Manipulate Symbols"
In other words, a child at this stage can use an object to represent something else. This is when children can pretend a broom is a horse.
With that also comes the ability to attach meanings to symbols.
Symbols Can Keep Changing Until The Third Stage Of Development
In the second stage of development, children develop a basic understanding of the things they interact with. Nevertheless, the symbols and their meanings can keep changing until the third stage of development.
The Toy Was Inappropriate
According to many parents, placing the button between the "Trolls World Tour" Giggle and Sing Poppy doll was very "inappropriate." That is why they fought so hard to have it taken off the market.
A Mom Broke The Story On Instagram
Jamie Cornaby, a mom, posted a video that told of her 2-year-old daughter getting a Trolls Poppy doll as a birthday gift. The Instagram video has since gone private.
Doll Sings When You Push Her Tummy
The toy actually has two buttons. There is button on her tummy that makes the doll sing when pressed.
Curiously, there is another button between the doll's legs.
When The Button Between Her Legs Is Pressed, The Doll Giggles And Gasps
Of this strangely positioned button, the mom was not amused. She thought it was "disturbing" and then went on to talk about a "sex trafficking scandal" that is a hot topic on social media at this time.
This Was Done To Groom Our Kids
The concerned mom went on to explain that the toy was designed in that manner as a way to groom kids for sex. She also noted that some people might see this as a joke, but she insisted that it was wrong to make such a product:
"I know some of you may not think this is a big deal, but especially since I've had kids, this is wrong."
Other Parents Were In Agreement
Jamie was not the only person to think the doll was inappropriate.
However, Facebook did not fully agree with the story, and only flagged the content as "partly false information."
Why Facebook Does Not Fully Agree With The Claims
The reason Facebook does not think the button placement was done with the purpose of preparing kids for inappropriate behavior is that the toy was designed to make sounds when in a sitting position. In other words, the button had no intention of grooming kids for sex.
Another Website Also Confirmed The Facts
It's not just Facebook that claimed that the accusations saying the doll was designed to groom kids for sex were false. Another website also explained that the button was supposed to activate when the doll was placed in a sitting position.
Still, The Symbolism Bothered Several Parents
Even though the button should activate when the doll is in a sitting position, the fact that the doll giggles and gasps when the button is pressed does not sit well with many parents.
Children can easily make negative associations from this symbolism at a very young age.
A Petition Against The Doll Has Over 150k Signatures
A petition to have the doll taken off the shelves says:
"Our society is conditioning our children to think pedophilia is OK. This is not OK for a child's toy! This toy needs to be removed from our stores. What will this toy make our innocent, impressionable children think?"
People Agree With The Complains
According to this commenter, the button placement is "creepy" and "wrong."
It's A Serious Design Flaw
One user pointed out that even though the intentions were quite innocent, the design flaw is too serious to have made it out of production.
Another commenter was glad her daughter did not have such a doll.
In fact, she doesn't care for the disturbing design in these kinds of dolls.
The Doll Had To Go
At this point, the original intention behind the doll does not matter. The company recognizes that the button placement might be interpreted as inappropriate:
"This feature was designed to react when the doll was seated, but we recognize the placement of the sensor may be perceived as inappropriate. This was not intentional and we are happy to provide consumers with a replacement Poppy doll of similar value through our Consumer Care team. We are in the process of removing the item for purchase."
For those who have the doll and would like to get in touch with the company, you can do so through their website.
Nobody denies that Hasbro had the best intentions when designing this doll.
Unfortunately, there was quite a lack of insight when designing the "sitting" button since it's right between the legs and can activate when pressed. The suggestive sounds the toy makes when this part of the doll is activated doesn't help matters.
