PARENTS are furious over a new £15 influencer set for toddlers including a ringlight and smartphone being sold by Argos.
The “completely irresponsible” set is made by Argos‘ in-house toy brand Chad Valley and features a wooden set for “career role-play” – aimed at children as young as two.
Argos bosses defended the set saying it is one many items that “encourages creative play”.
A poll by YouGov for Great Ormond Street Hospital charity from 2024 found almost a fifth of children aged six to 17 across the UK said they wanted to be a type of social media influencer as a career.
Mum-of-two Lucy Simpson, 37, from Dorset told Mail Online: “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.”
The product’s about section reads: “This beautifully crafted wooden live streaming set includes 6 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.”
“Cultivate children’s storytelling skills and creativity through career role-play.”
89 per cent of British 12-year-olds now own a smartphone, as do a quarter of children aged five to seven – getting their first smartphone on average aged nine.
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.”
Smartphone Free Childhood is a grassroots charity delaying smartphone use for a happier childhood – supported by 250,000 families and celebrities Paloma Faith, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kate Winslet and Myleene Klass.
Their mission statement reads: “Smartphone Free Childhood is a movement of families standing together to delay smartphones and social media – turning isolation into collective strength.”
This backlash comes after MPs rejected an outright ban on social media for under-16s last week.
An Argos spokesperson 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.”
