Texas Attorney General Sues TV Giants Over Secret Data Collection Practices
Texas is leading a charge against major television manufacturers, alleging they’ve been secretly monitoring viewers’ habits through their smart TVs.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed lawsuits against five of the world’s largest television manufacturers – Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense, and TCL Technology Group Corporation – accusing them of illegally collecting user data via Automated Content Recognition (ACR) technology. The suits, filed Monday in Texas state courts, allege the companies are recording what viewers watch without their knowledge or consent, raising serious privacy concerns.
Paxton’s office also expressed specific apprehension regarding Hisense and TCL, citing the potential for the Chinese government to access U.S. consumer data due to their obligation to comply with China’s National Security Law. “Companies, especially those connected to the Chinese Communist Party, have no business illegally recording Americans’ devices inside their own homes,” Paxton stated.
According to the complaints, the television manufacturers allegedly utilize ACR technology to capture screenshots of television displays every 500 milliseconds, effectively monitoring viewing activity in real-time. This data is then transmitted to the companies’ servers without explicit user permission. Paxton’s office characterized ACR as “an uninvited, invisible digital invader” designed to unlawfully harvest personal data for targeted advertising.
“This conduct is invasive, deceptive, and unlawful,” Paxton asserted. “The fundamental right to privacy will be protected in Texas because owning a television does not mean surrendering your personal information to Big Tech or foreign adversaries.”
Responses from the companies have been limited. Spokespersons for Sony, Samsung, Hisense, and TCL were unavailable for comment when contacted by BleepingComputer. However, an LG spokesperson told BleepingComputer, “As a matter of policy, LG Electronics USA does not generally comment on pending legal matters such as this.”
This isn’t the first time such practices have come under scrutiny. In February 2017, Vizio, a smart TV manufacturer owned by Walmart, paid $2.2 million to settle charges brought by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the New Jersey Attorney General. The agencies found that Vizio had collected viewing data from 11 million consumers without their knowledge, utilizing a “Smart Interactivity feature” to track content watched across cable, streaming services, and DVDs. Vizio also reportedly attached demographic information – including age, sex, income, and education – to the collected data and sold it to third parties for targeted advertising.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has previously warned consumers about the privacy risks associated with internet-connected devices. In August 2022, the FTC published a consumer alert advising Americans to adjust the tracking settings on their smart TVs to safeguard their privacy.
This latest legal action underscores a growing concern over data privacy in the age of smart devices and highlights the potential for companies to exploit consumer viewing habits for profit. The outcome of these lawsuits could set a significant precedent for data privacy regulations within the television industry and beyond.
