Smart TVs, which are found in almost every home, can collect information about users' viewing habits without their knowledge. In some cases, even voice recordings can be captured.
The Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) technology used in these devices can accurately determine which programs are watched on the TV, when they are watched, and the duration of viewing.
According to information, the collected data is sometimes used to show personalized advertisements, and in some cases, it is transferred to third parties.
Vizio was fined in 2017
In 2017, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the New Jersey Attorney General filed a lawsuit against the company Vizio.
According to the investigation results, the company installed software on 11 million TVs that collected viewing data without the users' knowledge.
The Automatic Content Recognition function was active by default and recorded the content users watched every second, transferring it to advertising companies.
Additionally, it was reported that the company added this function to older TV models via remote software updates.
As a result, Vizio paid a $2.2 million fine, was forced to make its data collection policy more transparent, and to obtain users' explicit consent.
Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense, and TCL were also sued
In 2025, the Texas Attorney General filed lawsuits against five major TV manufacturers simultaneously.
The following companies were named in the lawsuit:
• Sony
• Samsung
• LG
• Hisense
• TCL
They were accused of illegally collecting personal data of Texas residents.
The Attorney General specifically stated that the affiliations of Hisense and TCL with China could pose a risk to the security of consumer data.
The lawsuit characterized Sony TVs even as a "mass surveillance system" and accused them of collecting and selling users' viewing data without their knowledge.
Subsequently, Samsung and LG reached agreements to not collect data without users' explicit consent and to present their privacy policies more clearly.
However, court proceedings involving Hisense, Sony, and TCL are still ongoing.
New class action lawsuit against Samsung
In 2026, owners of five Samsung smart TVs filed a class action lawsuit against the company.
The plaintiffs state that their viewing data is being illegally monitored, stored, and sold through Automatic Content Recognition technology.
They believe Samsung’s privacy policy confuses users and does not fully explain the extent of data collection.
The lawsuit claims that the company’s activities violate state data protection laws and federal legislation regulating video data privacy.
The plaintiffs are demanding compensation and the cessation of this practice. The court proceedings have not yet concluded./Lent.az