Top 10 Most Controversial Toys Ever Made

Is it technically product placement if the product derives from the film? In any case, the Nimbus 2000’s introduction in the first “Harry Potter” movie felt like a built-in commercial. That doesn’t mean we weren’t sold! The battery-operated broomstick didn’t fly, but it did make swooshing sounds and vibrated to create the sensation of flight. Based on what many wrote the Amazon comments sections, the toy left older users feeling another sensation. How can we put this without getting demonetized? Well, remember that episode of “Mad Men” where Peggy tests out the Relax-a-Cizor? The Nimbus 2000 had the same effect… as some claim. Whether or not this was people just being cheeky online, we see why Mattel didn’t follow it up with a vibrating Firebolt.

For some, Furby’s biggest offense is being too chatty. At the turn of the century, though, government officials considered this hamster/owl a potential threat to National Security. It was January 1999. 1.8 million Furbies had already been sold and YK2 was top of mind. Could Furby be the Tiger Electronics’ answer to Skynet? Sounds like a stretch, but the NSA feared that Furby could be used to record and spread information. Rumors even suggested that Furby could learn from its surroundings and hijack a space shuttle. Although Tiger assured the government that Furby wasn’t that advanced, organizations like the NSA, FAA, and the Pentagon banned the toy from their buildings, at least for a period. Imagine if the Amazon Echo existed back then.

Professional wrestlers and action figures go hand-in-hand. Signifying his rise to fame, Allen Ray Sarven, aka Al Snow, received a small, plastic counterpart in 1999. Although Snow wasn’t seen as the most controversial wrestler, his gimmick made him a questionable subject for the toy treatment. Whenever Snow entered the ring, he often carried a mannequin head with “Help Me” scribed across the forehead. Snow’s action figure naturally came with a head accessory. Kennesaw State University professor Sabrena Parton argued that this sent a negative message that normalized violence against women. An Atlanta Walmart manager seconded this with the toy soon being pulled from the retail chain. While Al Snow toys were still sold elsewhere, he eventually ditched the head for a chihuahua called Pepper.

For generations, the living have used Ouija boards in hopes of connecting with spirits. Once Hasbro officially trademarked Ouija in the early 2010s, though, it started to feel less like a gateway to the beyond and more like… well, a toy. While historian Robert Murch says that Ouija has “always been a board game,” he acknowledges that it’s “always been more than a board game for some people.” This has made Ouija boards a regular target of controversy among various parents and religious organizations. Catholic.com called them “far from harmless,” claiming, “the Ouija board really does work, and the only ‘spirits’ that will be contacted through it are evil ones.” Other groups have banned and burned Ouija boards, which nonetheless remain a sleepover favorite.

The idea of Furby being a security risk might sound silly, but as CloudPets demonstrated years later, toys can indeed leak sensitive information. These plush toys were more cutting-edge than they appeared, allowing kids and relatives to exchange voice messages with Bluetooth. To set up a CloudPets account on a mobile device, parents had to share an email address, photo, and their children’s name. The database storing information wasn’t secure, exposing more than 820,000 accounts and 2.2 million recordings. At one point, the data was deleted and replaced with a ransom demanding Bitcoin. CloudPets wasn’t quick to inform users of this breach and even after upping the password requirements, it wasn’t long until parent company Spiral Toys went out of business.

Gwen Thompson made headlines in 2009 with numerous outlets describing her as the first “homeless” American Girl Doll. Although the terminology isn’t up to modern standards, many felt that Gwen had the potential to shine a spotlight on a serious issue, humanizing those without a roof over their heads and showing unhoused children they aren’t alone. Yet, others took issue with Gwen’s dark backstory and unflattering clothing. Most notably, Gwen came with a retail price of $95. On one hand, this was the standard price for other American Girl Dolls, and selling Gwen at a cheaper rate might’ve sent the wrong message. If the intent was to raise awareness, though, maybe the profits from Gwen should’ve primarily gone toward shelters and charities. But they weren’t.

Barbie has faced her fair share of scandals. Mattel has poked fun at these controversies lately with Earring Magic Ken, Teen Talk Barbie, and Midge popping up in the “Barbie” movie. Greta Gerwig’s film overlooked one notable misstep, however. As a cross-promotion with “America’s Favorite Cookie,” we got Oreo Fun Barbie in 1997. Four years later, the two brands collaborated again with Barbie Oreo School Time Fun. This time, the doll had two variants: a Caucasian Barbie and an African-American version. In the latter’s case, the Oreo label was tone-deaf for a variety of reasons. Consumers had a hard time believing that nobody at Mattel or Oreo made the connection. For a doll with the description, “What a SMART Cookie,” this wasn’t the wisest move.

In the history of dangerous toys, few are more infamous than lawn darts. This combination of horseshoes and darts went from a backyard pastime to a leading force in hospital visits. Over an eight-year span, lawn darts sent 6,100 Americans to the ER. Less than 20% of those patients were adults. As some lawn dart accidents turned fatal, there were calls across the U.S. and Canada to ban these metal-tipped menaces. By the late 80s, they were outlawed in both countries. Yet, they continued to cause harm into the 90s, prompting CPSC Chairman Ann Brown to release a statement saying, “Parents should destroy these banned lawn darts immediately.” In recent years, lawn darts are making a comeback, although the tips are less hazardous.

Some Cabbage Patch dolls are more notorious than others. The Snacktime Kids chewed on more than fake food, resulting in a recall. Overall, though, no toy line sparked a frenzy quite like the Cabbage Patch riots of 1983. Cabbage Patch fever turned shopping aisles into warzones. Parents tapped into their animalistic instincts, as if they were bears acquiring salmon for their cubs. Even if you didn’t find a doll, those who walked away without any broken bones or getting trampled over were the lucky ones. It might sound like we’re exaggerating, but you weren’t there, man. Some patrons came armed with baseball bats while store managers feared for their lives. The craze died down, but the horror returned in the form of Tickle Me Elmo.

Toy guns, in general, are an ongoing source of controversy. Taking real-world shootings into account, manufacturers typically give toy guns exaggerated designs so as to not be confused with the real deal. This wasn’t always the case, however. LJN, best known for their poorly-received video games, also made motorized water guns under their Entertech brand. These weren’t like the colorful Super Soakers you see on store shelves today. Entertech water guns were made to look, feel, and sound real. Too real, as many argued they could easily be mistaken for lethal weapons. These fears appeared vindicated as reports surfaced of authorities shooting youths carrying realistic-looking toy guns. This compelled LJN to discontinue the Entertech line in 1990 after five years on the market.


Do you have any of these controversial toys in your attic or basement? Let us know in the comments!