Samsung settles Texas lawsuit over smart TV data collection
A landmark settlement in Texas could set a new standard for how smart TV manufacturers handle your personal data, and other companies may soon be forced to follow suit.
Samsung has settled a lawsuit with the Texas Attorney General over allegations that its smart TVs collected viewing data without users’ informed consent.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed the suit last December, accusing Samsung of using Automated Content Recognition (ACR) technology to capture screenshots of what consumers were watching and using that information for targeted advertising.
As part of the settlement, Samsung must halt any collection or processing of ACR viewing data without first obtaining the express consent of Texas consumers.
The company is also required to update its smart TVs with clear, conspicuous disclosure and consent screens, replacing what a court had previously identified as ‘dark patterns’ requiring over 200 clicks to access privacy settings.
Samsung stated that it does not believe its Viewing Information Services system violated any regulations, but agreed to strengthen its privacy disclosures. Paxton noted that other smart TV manufacturers, including Sony, LG, Hisense, and TCL Technologies, have not yet made similar changes in response to ongoing lawsuits.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!