'It's Not Ok!' Hasbro Removes Troll Doll With Button Between Legs From Stores Amid Online Backlash

The author of an online petition calling for the doll's removal from retail outlets warned of the possible effect the toy might have on “innocent, impressionable” children.
Sputnik

Prominent toy manufacturer Hasbro ended up pulling one of its figures from store shelves after a certain element of the toy's design evoked a backlash on social media.

The female doll in question is called "Trolls World Tour Giggle and Sing Poppy" and, as its name suggests, can giggle and sing on demand, as news.com.au puts it.

However, in order to make use of these features, one has to press a button located between doll's legs, which does not seem to sit well with quite a few people; the change.org petition is calling to have the toy removed "from store shelves" accruing over 425,000 signatures about four days after its launch.

"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 ok?" the petition states. "It’s not ok! It’s not fun! It’s damaging and has long term affects on a child’s mental/physical health!"

Many social media users, some of them wondering aloud, asked how "anyone at the company" could consider the feature in question a good idea.

There were also those, however, who appeared to consider the situation hilarious as well.

​Hasbro spokeswoman Julie Duffy explained in a statement that "this feature was designed to react when the doll was seated, but we recognize the placement of the sensor may be perceived as inappropriate", according to CNN.

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