An online petition demanding that a popular children’s doll be pulled from major retailers has gained more than 300,000 signatures. In it, people claim a Trolls World Tour doll promoted child abuse and pedophilia. Now, Hasbro is pulling the “Trolls World Tour Giggle and Sing Poppy” doll from shelves following the controversy.
Why the Controversy Around the Trolls Doll?
The doll, designed as Poppy from Trolls World Tour, has two sound activation buttons. One button is located on her stomach. When pressed, the doll sings and says phrases like, “How about a hug?”
The second button is causing the controversy. The button is placed at the doll’s bottom, underneath the character’s skirt and between its legs. It was originally designed to activate when the doll is placed in a sitting position and causes the doll to giggle and say phrases like “Whee!” and “Oh!” However, many are claiming the button promotes pedophilia to kids at a young age.
“When you push this button on the doll’s privates she gasps and giggles. This is not okay for a child’s toy! This toy needs to be removed from our stores,” the online petition states. A tweet sharing a video demonstrating the controversial button has also gone viral.
Is @Hasbro normalizing grooming & facilitating child abuse? 🤔👇
— Sam Parker 🇺🇲 (@SamParkerSenate) August 5, 2020
👀 pic.twitter.com/Q258vsGqcC
“What will this toy make our innocent, impressionable children think? That it’s fun when someone touches your private area? That pedophilia and child molestation are okay?” the petition added.
Hasbro’s Response
A Hasbro spokesperson, Julie Duffy, told CNN that the button “was designed to react when the doll was seated, but we recognize the placement of the sensor may be perceived as inappropriate.”
“This was not intentional and we are happy to provide consumers with a replacement Poppy doll of similar value through our Consumer Care team. We are in the process of removing the item for purchase,” Duffy said.
