Smart TV-Maker Settles Privacy Suit

In the US, the FTC has settled with smart TV company VIZIO, which will pay $2.2m after collecting viewing data from around eleven million consumers without their knowledge and consent.

From 2014 onwards, VIZIO and an affiliate manufactured TVs with automated content recognition software installed, capturing second-by-second information about usage via cable, broadband, set-top box, DVD, over-the-air broadcast and streaming devices. Information was provided to third parties for use in audience measurement, ad impact analysis and ad targeting. According to www.lexology.com , the plaintiffs alleged that VIZIO also provided viewers' IP address information to data aggregators, allowing them to append demographic information to the viewing data.

The FTC and New Jersey Attorney General declared the tracking unfair and deceptive under FTC and New Jersey consumer protection law.

In addition to the payment, VIZIO is prohibited from making misrepresentations about the privacy, security or confidentiality of information it collects; must delete relevant viewing data collected before March 1, 2016; and must implement a comprehensive data privacy program to be assessed by an independent third party.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.