The Toy Association™ Offers Support to Members Who Receive Media Inquiries About Safety

November 8, 2024 | Each year around the Thanksgiving holiday, certain NGOs release “dangerous toy” lists that are unfortunately filled with misinformation about the safety of toys and needlessly frighten parents during what is supposed to be a magical time of year. These reports often overlook the important fact that authentic, legitimate toys sold by responsible brands and retailers adhere to more than 100 stringent federal safety standards and regulations that are designed to protect children at play.

The Toy Association™ positions itself on the frontlines of these conversations by undertaking strategic communications efforts to counter all false NGO claims and to assure consumers that safety is the toy industry’s top priority. It is also a part of The Toy Association’s mission to spread awareness about PlaySafe.org, which offers families trustworthy safety information, including tips for how to avoid unsafe counterfeit products online, the importance of monitoring for recalled product, why age labels should never be ignored, how to keep kids safe in digital spaces, and much more.

If a Toy Association member company’s product is included in one of these NGO lists, The Toy Association’s communications team is available to provide counsel on appropriate actions to take. Companies that are contacted by reporters in search for comment are encouraged to pass the inquiry to The Toy Association team, which will supply the media with a statement on the issue at hand and offer interviews with The Toy Association’s toy safety expert, Joan Lawrence, SVP of standards and regulatory affairs.

In addition to helping members respond to false claims made about their products, The Toy Association is sharing safe online shopping tips and other advice with the media and consumers throughout its fourth annual Toy Safety Awareness Month this November. Follow The Toy Association on LinkedIn and Facebook to share play safety posts throughout the month in honor of Toy Safety Awareness Month and help spread the word using #ToySafetyAwarenessMonth and #PlaySafe.

Members with questions on this topic are encouraged to contact Kristin Morency Goldman, senior director of strategic communications at The Toy Association.