This document discusses how interactive toys use surveillance technologies to normalize constant visibility and interaction with machines from a young age. It examines toys like Cayla, Freddy, and Ubooly that can listen, learn, and appear to know personal details about children. Through mechanisms like customizable personalities and remembering favorite things, these toys aim to form relationships with children and embed social norms. The document argues this risks training children to engage in scripted interactions and see AI as friends, while distancing them from how their data is collected and used.

1. RAISING THE
SURVEILLANT SUBJECT:
CHILDREN WITH TOYS
THAT ARE INTELLIGENT
AND INTERACTIVE
BEVERLY GEESIN
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGES AND LINGUISTICS
YORK ST JOHN UNIVERSITY

2. BACKGROUND
• Consumption of surveillance
• Surveillance technology into consumer market
• Internet of things
• Connectivity of objects
• Distancing from processes
• Sharing culture
• Visibility and interaction

3. INTERACTIVE TOYS
• Interaction with surveillance technologies
• Expectation of connectivity
• Normalisation of visibility over privacy
• Training for Artificial Intelligence interactions
• Scripted interaction
• Talking to machines
• Embedded values and norms
• Gender, class, notions of the self and the body

4. TOYS
Dino by CogniToys My Friend Cayla
My Friend Freddy
Ubooly

5. APPROACH
• Technoculture – relationship between technology and
culture
• Apparatus – “anything that has in some way the capacity
to capture, orient, determine, intercept, model, control or
secure the gestures, behaviours, opinions, or discourses
of living beings” (Agamben, 2009: 14).

6. APPROACH
• Critical Discourse Analysis
• “Making visible the interconnectedness of things” (Wodak
and Meyer in Roderick, 2016: 57)
• “To reveal how those interconnections are made, built up,
and what they make visible as self-evident or natural”
(Roderick, 2016: 57)
• Multimodal / ‘Toolkit’
• Ideological messages embedded in the marketing /
branding

7. EMBODIMENT
• Distancing between the
device and the
technology
• Anthropormophised
• AI with a face
• Borrowing from past
toys

8. PERSONALITY
‘Customize your Ubooly with hairstyles, costumes, and
personality traits.’
‘Ubooly is the completely customizable toy designed by
educators to get kids laughing and learning on their feet.’
“She has millions of things to say”
“Cayla can: be personalised, understand & chat, tell stories and
play games, answer questions, play online and offline”
“Chat about clothes, food, family, school, hobbies and lots
more.”
“Cayla loves to tell stories and talk about pictures in her photo
albums.”
“My Friend Cayla is not just a doll, she’s like a real friend with
MILLIONS of things to say!”

9. KNOWING
“I know so much about you”
“Cayla will remember your favourite things, family and friends”
“She can tell you about herself, her family, hobbies and so much more, plus she knows what
you like, too.”
-“What is your favourite ice cream?”
-“I like strawberry but I know you like chocolate the best!”
‘The Bear Who REALLY Knows You!”
“I remember all your favourite things!”
“Personalise Freddy so he knows your child”
“It’s your birthday today! Let’s sing!” “WOW! How does Freddy know that?!”
“He will amaze your child with the things he knows about them!”
“What can your CogniToy Do?”
“I’ll answer your child’s questions” “I can tell jokes.” “We can play games and learn.”
“We can make stories together.”
“I’ll remember your child’s name and favourite things.”
“I’ll talk to your child about their interests.”

10. LISTENING
‘The learning toy that listens’
‘Ubooly is a magical animal that talks and listens. Ubooly can
be customised to know your child’s name, teach lessons,
and much more.’
‘Insert the phone into Ubooly’s pocket to play! Ubooly is
ready to talk, listen and explore.’
‘Learn & Grow: Ubooly is full of lessons, educational facts,
and activities that help with healthy habits!’

11. LEARNING
‘Learn with me!’
‘The learning toy that listens’
‘Customizable, teachable, adventurous, educational, musical’
‘Ubjooly is a magical animal that talks and listens. Ubooly can be customised to know
your child’s name, teach lessons, and much more.’
“Ask questions about loads of things like animals, maths, countries, spelling, famous
people and more!”
“Cayla can also answer general knowledge questions about lots of different subjects,
like different countries and animals. It’s AMAZING what she knows!”
“Smart Toy”
“Internet connected, conversational, educational”
What if a toy Could Grow With Your Child?
This question inspired us to create CogniToys, the internet-connected smart toys that
learn and grow with your child. Loaded with fun personalities and tons of information,
CogniToys are redefining learning in the digital age. The curious and conversational
Dinosaurs are power by IBM Watson, allowing them to deliver the kind of personalised
play experience every child deserves.

12. PARENTAL ROLE
‘Customizable, teachable, adventurous, educational, musical’
‘Ubooly is a magical animal that talks and listens. Ubooly can be customised
to know your child’s name, teach lessons, and much more.’
“Personalise Freddy so he knows your child”
“Type in the details about the child’s world into Freddy Bear’s app and he
will incorporate them into the things he says.”
“Create photo albums of friends and family and record personal messages.”
“Freddy Bear will talk about them using details entered into the app. He can
also keep recorded messages to play back.”
“Grandma’s looking forward to seeing you!”
Parent Panel: “Once your child starts to play with their Dino, head to the
CogniToys Parent Panel to review their progress! Use the Parent Panel to:
-Gain insight into strengths and skills
-Receive suggestions for improvement
-Review and change your account settings

13. CONCLUSION
• Embedded ideologies:
• Interaction
• Learning
• Friendship / Knowing
• Technological Fetishism
• Technology / Culture
• Normalisation / Banalisation
• Socialisation / Norms
• Expectations of interaction

14. QUESTIONS…

15. REFERENCES
Agamben, G. (2009) What is an apparatus? And Other
Essays. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
Roderick, I. (2016) Critical Discourse Studies and
Technology: A Multimodal Approach to Analysing
Technoculture