Shortage of Toys with Computer Chips in

[HungryHippo11]

There has been a global shortage of computer chips for a while now.
I saw an article today about possible toy shortages at Christmas, citing the computer chip shortage as one of the reasons.
www.itv.com/news/2021-08-17/shortages-and-price-rises-this-christmas-and-there-are-a-number-of-reasons-why

AIBU to think that if there is a global shortage, they should be banning toys and pointless items with computer chips, to save the resource for items which are actually of some benefit to society?

Why do kids toys need computer chips anyway?

If it's a matter of responsibility then phone manufacturers, particularly apple need to make products, including screens that last. Look at the recent scandal of Amazon binning electronics, all of them contained microchips. Children are used to interactive toys, they are good for development and children should get a share of the market. Who decides what's pointless? Me and my DD are adult female gamers, yet that would make us losers to many on here.

Manufacturers need to start making products that last instead of the current 'new every year' culture.

Hmm, but don’t interactive toys benefit society by educating children through play and preparing them to live in a world run by devices? I don’t think the answer is dictating what can be computerised and what can’t, I think the answer is in not replacing phones every 12 months, improving reuse/recycling of electronics etc. Individuals can choose not to buy computerised toys but I don’t think a ban is right.

@Ponoka7

If it's a matter of responsibility then phone manufacturers, particularly apple need to make products, including screens that last. Look at the recent scandal of Amazon binning electronics, all of them contained microchips. Children are used to interactive toys, they are good for development and children should get a share of the market. Who decides what's pointless? Me and my DD are adult female gamers, yet that would make us losers to many on here.

Absolutely agree that they should be trying to recycle chips or make them last longer.

I don't think a walking talking unicorn benefits society. There are a million ways to play without computer chips.
But I appreciate it is subjective, so would be difficult to legislate.

People also need to stop hoarding phones. Many people upgrade but don't send their old phone to be recycled. I believe in the UK we are at something bonkers like an average of three phones per person.

Why are they pointless? Perhaps we should also ban any bottled drinks other than milk and milk alternatives because they are pointless and unnecessary.

I think there is a bit overestimate to the benefit of interactive toys, my daughter has delayed speech and the first thing we were told to do was take out the batteries of any interactive toys as you want the child to do the noises not the toy. It's a great toy marketing device to say "helps with this, stimulates that etc. Etc." Apart from things like coding games which obviously challenge older children.

@Pissinthepottyplease

Why are they pointless? Perhaps we should also ban any bottled drinks other than milk and milk alternatives because they are pointless and unnecessary.

If there was a global shortage of drinks bottles, I might agree with you.

@Icecreamsoda99

I think there is a bit overestimate to the benefit of interactive toys, my daughter has delayed speech and the first thing we were told to do was take out the batteries of any interactive toys as you want the child to do the noises not the toy. It's a great toy marketing device to say "helps with this, stimulates that etc. Etc." Apart from things like coding games which obviously challenge older children.

Absolutely agree. My 4 year old has a fingerings narwhal that sings or something, she hardly plays with it because she is limited by what it will do. She has a wooden narwhal figure which she plays with much more because she can use her imagination to make it do whatever she wants.

@HungryHippo11 you may have noticed we have a small global issue with final warming been driven by industry.

[quote Pissinthepottyplease]@HungryHippo11 you may have noticed we have a small global issue with final warming been driven by industry.[/quote]
So all the more reasonable to ban plastic toys with computer chips using up the earths resources surely?

I mean if I was queen of the world, I would ban all virgin and single use plastic, fireworks, non medical use of helium, any profit made from the sale of water, I’d strongly regulate animal ownership, but I’d legalise all non-synthetic recreational drugs…I’m sure o can think of others....but you’d be living in the LemonViolet dictatorship and that’s not how the world works

Well considering we’re struggling to get printers for our clinical trials unit, I’m glad they are not putting the chips into toys!

@LemonVioletyour dictatorship doesn't sound too bad!

@Mybalconyiscracking

Well considering we’re struggling to get printers for our clinical trials unit, I’m glad they are not putting the chips into toys!

But they are... yes there is a shortage but there will still be toys being made with chips in. Thats my point, it should be banned to free up as many resources as possible for other things.

Completely agree with you OP.

We can't get hold of what we need for work, which means that there will be issues for pretty much everyone to get stuff that they won't want to go without but will likely have to unless we get our hands on some chips.

Can't say what I do obviously but I'm pretty sure any mumsnetter that claims they want their kids to have these toys regardless will regret it by some time next year if we don't manage to source the thousands and thousands of chips we need.

This crisis will not be solved for a long, long time and it's not as easy as just pumping out more factories and more chips.
We are in real trouble here. Certainly don't support these toys being made over the essential things they are needed for.