A children’s charity has blasted Argos for selling an ‘influencer kit’ aimed at toddlers.
The wooden set, made by the retailer’s in-house toy brand Chad Valley, features wooden toys of the accessories used to make online content.
Children as young as two are encouraged to act out filming videos and posing for selfies in what the makers describe as ‘career role-play’.
Smartphone Free Childhood co-founder and director Daisy Greenwell said: ‘Is anyone genuinely thinking this is what a two-year-old needs? We have to ask what we’re teaching our children to aspire to.
‘When we normalise the language and props of influencing in toddlerhood, we send the message that being watched matters more than being curious.
‘Childhood should be a time to discover who you are – not to start polishing your personal brand.’
The online description for the set, which costs £15, reads: ‘This beautifully crafted wooden live streaming set includes six essential components – a sturdy tripod stand, adjustable aperture lens, miniature camera, smartphone model, tablet, and microphone.
‘All can be neatly stored in a convenient carrying pouch.’
Argos has been slammed for selling this ‘wooden influencer set’
The set comes with a tripod stand, adjustable aperture lens, miniature camera, smartphone model, tablet, and microphone.
Smartphone Free Childhood co-founder and director Daisy Greenwell said: ‘Is anyone genuinely thinking this is what a two-year-old needs?’
Join the debate
What impact do you think influencer culture toys have on young children’s values and development?
Smartphone Free Childhood, backed by 250,000 families and celebrities Paloma Faith, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kate Winslet and Myleene Klass, says smartphones damage young people’s development, mental health and relationships – and expose them to dangers lurking online.
It comes after MPs rejected an outright ban on social media for under-16s last week.
However, Ofcom ordered Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Roblox and X to have more robust age checks for under-13s.
Mum-of-two Lucy Simpson, 37, from Poole in Dorset, said: ‘We shouldn’t be teaching our toddlers to make a career out of taking selfies, especially with the use of a ring light.
‘Influencers use these to hide blemishes and make their lives appear more polished and perfect. It is completely irresponsible.’
In the UK, 89 per cent of 12-year-olds now own a smartphone, as do a quarter of children aged five to seven. On average, British children get their first smartphone aged nine.
An Argos spokesman said: ‘We offer a broad selection of toy sets that encourage imaginative and creative play.
‘This product is part of that wider range, which includes items such as our Chad Valley Tool Box, Wooden Toaster and Pizza Counter sets, designed to help children have fun.’
