FBI issues warning about 'smart toys'

They’re called "smart toys" - dolls, robots and other toys that can see and hear and interact with children.

But now, the FBI is issuing a warning to parents that those toys could also be used to spy on you and your kids.

"If you accept that toy into your home, you accept the responsibilities that come with it. So beware,” said FBI spokesman Garret H. Croon.

Earlier this year, Germany banned the smart doll "My Friend Cayla" after finding the doll could be hacked to record private conversations transmitted over the dolls' Bluetooth connection.

And nearly two million personal recordings made by children to their CloudPets were recently hacked and leaked online.

"Your children may be speaking to the toys, or there could be background noise. Those audio recordings or video recordings are sent to a database somewhere in the sky, which could be hacked by someone, unwittingly releasing information that's personal to you,” Croon said.

The FBI says that could open the doors to child identity fraud and put kids at risk from criminals.

Toy experts say smart toys are both useful and educational, and parents should check to see whether a particular toy has been certified by the federal trade commission as "kidsafe."

There’s also a congressional inquiry into some of the smart toys, sending letters to some of the toy manufacturers asking for specifics on how they store the information collected by the toys and whether that information is ever shared.