Not long after Furby’s release, the F.A.A.
urged against using the toy on flights during takeoff and landing because there were concerns it would interfere with planes’ computer systems.
In 1999, the National Security Agency banned Furby at its headquarters to prevent the toy, which could record and repeat audio, from capturing state secrets.
“But people thought that Furby was weird because it encroached on being human,” Ms. Boyd said.
Though the toy may have been unsettling to some, it found an audience: According to Hasbro, some 58 million Furbys have been sold since its release.
Persons:
Kim Boyd, Furby, Ms, Boyd
Organizations:
National Security Agency, Hasbro
Locations:
mohawk