Hasbro Removing Trolls Doll From Stores; Petition Says Button Is Inappropriately Placed
(CNN) -- Pawtucket, Rhode Island-based Hasbro says it is pulling a Trolls doll from store shelves after a petition with over 250,000 signatures accused the toymaker of promoting child abuse by placing a button on the doll's "private area under her skirt."
The "DreamWorks Trolls World Tour Giggle and Sing Poppy" has a button on her stomach that when pressed will prompt the doll to sing and say phrases like, "How about a hug?"
But many people have a problem with a second button that's placed on her bottom under her skirt that when pressed will cause the doll to make sounds such as "Whee!" and "Oh!"
"When you push this button on the doll's privates she gasps and giggles. This is not okay for a child's toy! This toy needs to be removed from our stores," says the online petition aimed at Target, Amazon, Walmart and other major retailers.
"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 okay? " it added.
Hasbro spokeswoman Julie Duffy told CNN 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."
"This was not intentional and we are happy to provide consumers with a replacement Poppy doll of similar value through our Consumer Care team. We are in the process of removing the item for purchase," Duffy added.
As of Friday morning, the petition had over 273,000 signatures.
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