Texas has launched a major legal battle against five leading television manufacturers. The state filed lawsuits against Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense, and TCL, alleging they secretly monitor customers.
The legal complaints focus on a common smart TV feature called Automated Content Recognition (ACR). Texas claims this software captures snapshots of the screen every few moments. This data, detailing everything viewers watch, is then transmitted overseas to company servers.
Attorney General Ken Paxton stated the practice violates state law, saying that these television companies are spying on Texas families in their living rooms. He argued that buying a TV should not mean handing over private viewing habits to large corporations.
The lawsuit expresses particular concern about where the data is sent. Information collected from TVs in Texas homes is allegedly routed to servers located in China, South Korea, and Japan.
Each company faces a separate legal filing. The state is asking the court to impose financial penalties and to order an immediate stop to the data collection.
This case places a spotlight on the privacy risks of internet-connected devices. As basic televisions disappear from the market, consumers have little choice but to bring these smart devices into their homes.
The accused companies have not yet publicly responded to the allegations. The lawsuits will test the legal boundaries of data collection by everyday household electronics.
Source: Bleeping Computer | Via: PC World