The app that teaches your 9-year-old they need plastic surgery

Because parenting’s not hard enough already…

Many of the apps available to our kids are ridiculous but the new award for dumbest app ever marketed to children definitely goes to a Barbie-inspired ‘game’ that teaches girls as young as 9 all about plastic surgery.

Thanks Apple.

The ‘Plastic Surgery For Barbara’ app has now been pulled from iTunes after a well-deserved Twitter backlash but we can’t help but wonder what the hell they were thinking selling it in the first place. Parents have enough to protect our children from when it comes to body image without having to worry about without seemingly innocuous games that end up fuelling their insecurity.

The fact it had the (unofficial) Barbie stamp just makes it so much worse. Little girls love Barbie.

We know Barbie is just a toy that most girls love and it’s always been criticised for not reflecting an attainable body image but this was definitely a step too far. A toy can’t tell you what’s wrong with your body. But the Barbie plastic surgery app can. Check this out:

See how horrible the 'before' Barbie is? Talk about gross, right? Sorry if she resembles you in any way girls, but see how easily plastic surgery can transform her into society's version of a way more attractive girl?

Don't you want that, girls? Don't you want that pressure?

Apple have gone to ground and are refusing to comment on it. Yes, good move. Keep hiding until we calm down enough to listen to you apologise for the stupidity of an app that tells our daughters how to get a boob job and a face lift.

The game lasted a week on iTunes before mums slammed it on social media.

The fact the poor girls who did use the game are now familiar with terminology like 'problem areas' and 'liposuction' is terrible enough with them having to see the app take the 'before' Barbie and administer anesthetic, make an incision with a scalpel and suction out fat with a pump.

The Everyday Sexism Project started the Twitter campaign and thank goodness they did.

Check it out in all it's glory. The horror can't quite be expressed in words.

Do you think Apple should be more responsible for the apps it sells on its site? Or is this a big overreaction?