Your Baby Can LLC has announced their decision to close their doors following their inability to keep up with the cost of legal battles from their product Your Baby Can Read.
The Christian Science Monitor reports that the company posted a notice on its website on Monday, saying:
“Regretfully, the cost of fighting recent legal issues has left us with no option but to cease business operations. While we vehemently deny any wrongdoing, and strongly believe in our products, the fight has drained our resources to the point where we can no longer continue operating.”
CBS News notes that a complaint was filed by the Boston-based Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood against the company with the Federal Trade Commission in April of 2011. Since then, a series of campaigns have been launched against what critics are calling the “genius baby” industry.
In their filing, the advocacy group stated that Your Baby Can Read’s claims of teaching infants how to read were both false and deceptive. They asked that the FTC halt the ads. While Susan Linn, the director of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood welcomed the demise of the company, but urged that the FTC still press ahead with their investigation. Linn stated:
“The commission has in its power to force Your Baby Can Read to provide compensation for parents who were deceived. Even more important, taking action will deter other companies from making deceptive claims about the educational value of screen media for babies.”
FTC public affairs officer Betsy Lordan stated that the commission would not be commenting on the complaint filed against Your Baby Can Read. She did state, however that their general policy states an investigation does not automatically stop if the company goes out of business.
Do you think that the FTC should prosecute the makers of Your Baby Can Read for false advertising?
Check out the commercial below for the now closed Your Baby Can Read:
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