Viral

Six toys that were so outrageous they had to be banned

Six toys that were so outrageous they had to be banned

A Walter White doll in Toys R Us has outraged American parents who say that Breaking Bad's crystal meth cook represents a 'dangerous deviation' from family values.

But that doll is not alone...

1. Furby

The US National Security Agency branded the fluffy talking toys a threat to national security in 1999, claiming they could be used to record and repeat classified conversations.

2. Atomic Energy Lab

In 1950 the inventor AC Gilbert released this lab set which included four uranium-bearing ore samples. It was pulled from shelves within a year.

3. Midge

The manufacturer Mattel caused controversy in 1963 when it unveiled Midge, Barbie’s pregnant friend. She was re-introduced in 1991 after getting married to ‘Allan’.

4. Snacktime Kid

Armed with ‘real chewing action’, this doll’s battery-powered jaw chomped on anything that found its way into its mouth – including children’s hair and fingers. Mattel recalled the product in 1997.

5. Po

Playskool released a talking doll of Po the Teletubby in 1998 that appeared to say ‘Bite my butt’ when squeezed. It was in fact saying ‘Slower, slower’ in Cantonese.

6. Bebe Gloton

The Spanish company Berjuan Toys caused a stir in 2011 by releasing a doll that taught children how to breast-feed, complete with suckling noises.

More: Six adverts that were so misleading they had to be banned

The Conversation (0)
x