The Texas attorney general says television companies have become unwelcome visitors in consumers’ homes.
Ken Paxton announced five separate lawsuits, including two against Chinese companies, alleging that the television companies are secretly spying on Texans by recording what they watch at home.
‘This conduct is invasive, deceptive, and unlawful.’
The Texas AG said in a press release that the method through which the companies were conducting their spying is called Automated Content Recognition technology. Labeling it an “uninvited” and “invisible” digital invader, Paxton said that the software is capable of capturing screenshots of a user’s TV display every 500 milliseconds.
Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense, and TCL each have individual lawsuits against them.
This effectively monitors viewing activity in real time, without the user’s knowledge, the state of Texas alleged.
The consumer data is then allegedly sold to target ads across platforms for profit. This puts sensitive information such as passwords, bank information, and other personal information at risk, the press release added.
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Each lawsuit states that Texans never agreed to be part of each company’s “Watchware” and that these televisions are “watching you back.”
Furthermore, the lawsuits state that the “mass surveillance of consumers” violates Texas law, specifically the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, which prohibits “false, misleading, or deceptive acts or practices.”
Each company “chose data extraction and advertising dollars over honesty and respect for consumer privacy. That’s illegal,” the lawsuits read.
Samsung, LG, and Sony predominantly manufacture their TVs in Mexico, with other parts are made in countries like Vietnam, South Korea, or Japan.
TCL and Hisense are both Chinese companies that operate and manufacture in China.
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Photo by Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images
“Companies, especially those connected to the Chinese Communist Party, have no business illegally recording Americans’ devices inside their own homes,” Paxton said in an official statement. “This conduct is invasive, deceptive, and unlawful. 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.”
LG and Hisense have publicly stated to outlets like Newsweek and Texas Scorecard that they would not comment on pending legal matters.
Sony told Blaze News that it “does not comment on pending legal matters.”
Blaze News also reached out to Samsung and TCL for comment on the lawsuit. Neither provided a response by the time of this publication.
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