• makeshiftreaper@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    37
    ·
    1 day ago

    On top of them just being really fucking annoying, especially in a cube farm, they’re also small battery powered devices with a speaker. AKA: a perfect listening tool hider. If you have classified projects of course security is going to ban them

    • titter@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      19
      ·
      1 day ago

      They also “learned” and had the ability to repeat back some of what it hears, not so good for protecting secrets

      • makeshiftreaper@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        15
        ·
        1 day ago

        Common misconception, they didn’t repeat anything. They just gradually spoke more of whatever language they were in. The only thing that was kind of like learning is they could react to is other nearby furbies

        Just to common sense check this: around this time the video games Seaman and Hey You! Pikachu came out with dedicated microphone accessories, had a video game console to power them, and they barely functioned. You think a $35 plastic toy will pull it off?

        • higgsboson@piefed.social
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          8
          ·
          1 day ago

          At the time Furbies were popular, there were other stuffed animals that did the recording and talk-back thing. Dont seem reliable enough for spy work, though.