Mattel’s 'Wicked' Dolls Accidentally Send Kids to Porn Site
Q: What happened with these dolls?
A: Mattel accidentally printed the URL for a porn website on the packaging of its Wicked movie-themed dolls. Oops.
Q: How did this come to light?
A: A South Carolina mom bought a doll for her daughter, who typed the URL into her phone and found… let’s just say, not a land of magical witches.
Q: What’s the lawsuit about?
A: The mom, Holly Ricketson, is suing Mattel for negligence, unjust enrichment, and various other legal buzzwords.
Q: What’s Mattel saying?
A: The company apologized, corrected the packaging, and asked customers to "discard" the boxes. No refunds, though.
Q: How did this mistake happen?
A: Instead of linking to WickedMovie.com, the packaging directed customers to Wicked.com - a very different kind of content provider.
Q: What does the lawsuit demand?
A: More than just refunds. The mom’s legal team wants Mattel held accountable for safeguarding children from harmful content.
Q: Did Mattel comment on the lawsuit?
A: They won’t discuss ongoing litigation but said the dolls are back on shelves with fixed packaging. Crisis averted? Maybe not.
Q: What’s the lawyer’s take?
A: One of the attorneys said it’s about holding corporations responsible for their obligation to protect kids.
Q: Is this affecting Wicked the movie?
A: Unlikely. The film, a retelling of The Wizard of Oz, is raking in millions and probably doesn’t need doll sales to stay successful.
Q: Why is this story grabbing attention?
A: It’s a mix of an innocent product, a massive blunder, and the unexpected. Plus, "Mattel accidentally links to porn" is just headline gold.
Q: Final thoughts?
A: If Mattel’s Wicked dolls teach us anything, it’s this: Always double-check your URLs, especially when marketing to kids.