UK NEWS

BARBIE GIRLS' WEBSITE 'IS HAVEN FOR PAEDOPHILES'

Barbie is a magnet for paedophiles

Thursday May 3,2007

By Sarah O'Grady

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A BARBIE doll website is “a prime target for paedophiles”, parents have been warned.

Children’s charities and experts also fear it may sexualise young girls, put them at risk of eating disorders and encourage online bullies.

BarbieGirls.com lets youngsters from six upwards all over the world chat to each other and dress virtual characters.
But the skimpily-clothed heroine, busty and painfully thin, won’t be an appropriate role model for children, said Anne Longfield, chief executive of the charity 4Children.

“We have two deep concerns,” she said. “First, it portrays a very unrealistic and over-stylised view of girls and women generally which will only put added pressure on girls to conform to the stereotypes of Barbiedom.

“Secondly, we would want to be reassured the site has robust safety mechanisms to protect children. Otherwise, it would be a prime target for anyone who wants to have access to girls.’’

Just how easy it is to access the site was illustrated by Michele Elliott, director of Kidscape. It took her just minutes to register, pretending to be a 13-year-old girl called Ivy Jane. “I now have access to a chatroom with little girls aged six and up,” she said. “I could be anyone, including a paedophile.

Dr Aric Sigman, a fellow of the British Psychological Society fears the site, launched earlier this week, will encourage the trend of young girls growing up too quickly.

He said: “Young girls are being sexualised at a young age, and image – including the one on websites like this – brings clothing to their attention, making them focus on their own appearance and leading to the onset of early sexualisation.”

Chris Cloke, head of the NSPCC child protection group, warned: “It is incredibly easy for children to be bullied online by other kids and for embarrassing pictures to be flashed online.

“It’s a real issue that has escalated in the past 10 years, and websites like these need to be stringently monitored so children are protected.”

A spokeswoman for Barbie’s maker, Mattel, said: “Girls have always enjoyed fashion play and customisation, whether with large dolls, fashion dolls or arts and crafts activities; it’s all a form of expression.

“BarbieGirls features stringent monitoring facilities including sophisticated word filters to ensure safety and prevent online bullying.”

The website includes tips for both children and their parents, such as telling registered users never to use their own name or give out any details about their address or personal details.

But Michele Elliott of Kidscape said: “They are trying to keep paedophiles out with their filter but I would not want my young child online in any chatroom – better to get real friends.”