A South Carolina mother has initiated legal action against Mattel after discovering that the packaging for a newly released doll contained the address of a pornographic website. The lawsuit claims emotional distress for her daughter after inadvertently visiting the site, as well as seeking class-action damages.
Mattel Faces Lawsuit Over Mistaken Porn Site Address on Wicked Dolls
Mattel Faces Lawsuit Over Mistaken Porn Site Address on Wicked Dolls
A South Carolina mother files a civil lawsuit against the toy company Mattel after a misprint on doll packaging leads to exposure to adult content.
The lawsuit comes in the wake of Mattel's recent release of singing dolls tied to the highly anticipated film adaptation of "Wicked," starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. The dolls, targeted at children, inadvertently featured a misprinted web address leading to an adult site, resulting in the mother purchasing the toy for her minor daughter, who then encountered explicit images.
In response to the incident, Mattel publicly expressed regret for the "unfortunate error," which they described as a significant oversight in product safety. The company has since recalled the dolls and advised customers to discard the affected packaging. However, the lawsuit filed by Holly Ricketson alleges that Mattel has yet to provide appropriate refunds and claims the toys were rendered unsuitable for their intended purpose.
The legal filing cites negligence on the part of Mattel, asserting violations of California consumer protection laws and emphasizing the psychological impact of the adult content exposure. Ricketson is seeking $5 million in damages for all consumers in the United States who purchased the dolls with the incorrect information.
The unrelated musical "Wicked," which inspired the doll line, has seen considerable success, having been on Broadway since 2003 and enjoying a recent film adaptation that grossed over $620 million worldwide since its November release. Meanwhile, Mattel's public relations efforts continue as they seek to mitigate fallout from this disturbing mix-up.
In response to the incident, Mattel publicly expressed regret for the "unfortunate error," which they described as a significant oversight in product safety. The company has since recalled the dolls and advised customers to discard the affected packaging. However, the lawsuit filed by Holly Ricketson alleges that Mattel has yet to provide appropriate refunds and claims the toys were rendered unsuitable for their intended purpose.
The legal filing cites negligence on the part of Mattel, asserting violations of California consumer protection laws and emphasizing the psychological impact of the adult content exposure. Ricketson is seeking $5 million in damages for all consumers in the United States who purchased the dolls with the incorrect information.
The unrelated musical "Wicked," which inspired the doll line, has seen considerable success, having been on Broadway since 2003 and enjoying a recent film adaptation that grossed over $620 million worldwide since its November release. Meanwhile, Mattel's public relations efforts continue as they seek to mitigate fallout from this disturbing mix-up.
