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LOS ANGELES -- The Walt Disney Co. is offering refunds for those "Baby Einstein" videos that did not make children into geniuses.
Susan Linn, director of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, had been pushing the issue for years.
"We see it as an acknowledgment by the leading baby video company that baby videos are not educational, and we hope other baby media companies will follow suit by offering refunds," she told The New York Times.
Baby Einstein, founded in 1997, was one of the earliest players in what became a huge electronic media market for babies and toddlers. Acquired by Disney in 2001, the company expanded to a full line of books, toys, flashcards and apparel, along with DVDs including "Baby Mozart," "Baby Shakespeare" and "Baby Galileo."
According to a 2003 study, a third of all American babies from 6 months to 2 years old had at least one "Baby Einstein" video.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, however, recommends no screen time at all for children younger than 2.
In 2006, Ms. Linn's group went to the Federal Trade Commission to complain about the educational claims made by Disney and another company, Brainy Baby. The companies responded by dropping the word "educational" from their marketing, but Linn wasn't satisfied.
Last year, lawyers threatened a class-action lawsuit for unfair and deceptive practices unless Disney agreed to refunds for all who bought the videos since 2004.
"The Walt Disney Company's entire Baby Einstein marketing regime is based on express and implied claims that their videos are educational and beneficial for early childhood development," a letter from the lawyers said, calling those claims "false because research shows that television viewing is potentially harmful for very young children."
The letter cited estimates from The Washington Post and Business Week that Baby Einstein controlled 90 percent of the baby media market and sold $200 million worth of products annually.
The letter also described studies, showing that television exposure at ages 1 through 3 is associated with attention problems at age 7, the newspaper reported.
As part of the settlement, the Baby Einstein company will refund $15.99 for up to four "Baby Einstein" DVDs per household, bought between June 5, 2004, and Sept. 5, 2009, and returned to the company. The deal enables parents to exchange their video for a different title, receive a discount coupon, or get $15.99 each for up to four returned DVDs, requires no receipt, and lasts until next March 10.
Susan Linn, director of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, had been pushing the issue for years.
"We see it as an acknowledgment by the leading baby video company that baby videos are not educational, and we hope other baby media companies will follow suit by offering refunds," she told The New York Times.
Baby Einstein, founded in 1997, was one of the earliest players in what became a huge electronic media market for babies and toddlers. Acquired by Disney in 2001, the company expanded to a full line of books, toys, flashcards and apparel, along with DVDs including "Baby Mozart," "Baby Shakespeare" and "Baby Galileo."
According to a 2003 study, a third of all American babies from 6 months to 2 years old had at least one "Baby Einstein" video.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, however, recommends no screen time at all for children younger than 2.
In 2006, Ms. Linn's group went to the Federal Trade Commission to complain about the educational claims made by Disney and another company, Brainy Baby. The companies responded by dropping the word "educational" from their marketing, but Linn wasn't satisfied.
Last year, lawyers threatened a class-action lawsuit for unfair and deceptive practices unless Disney agreed to refunds for all who bought the videos since 2004.
"The Walt Disney Company's entire Baby Einstein marketing regime is based on express and implied claims that their videos are educational and beneficial for early childhood development," a letter from the lawyers said, calling those claims "false because research shows that television viewing is potentially harmful for very young children."
The letter cited estimates from The Washington Post and Business Week that Baby Einstein controlled 90 percent of the baby media market and sold $200 million worth of products annually.
The letter also described studies, showing that television exposure at ages 1 through 3 is associated with attention problems at age 7, the newspaper reported.
As part of the settlement, the Baby Einstein company will refund $15.99 for up to four "Baby Einstein" DVDs per household, bought between June 5, 2004, and Sept. 5, 2009, and returned to the company. The deal enables parents to exchange their video for a different title, receive a discount coupon, or get $15.99 each for up to four returned DVDs, requires no receipt, and lasts until next March 10.
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