Vizio smart TVs tracked viewers around the clock without consent

[bananas]

Source: Ars Technica

Vizio, one of the world's biggest makers of Smart TVs, is paying $2.2 million to settle charges that it collected viewing habits from 11 million devices without the knowledge or consent of the people watching them.

According to a complaint filed Monday by the US Federal Trade Commission, Internet-connected TVs from Vizio contained ACR—short for automated content recognition—software. Without asking for permission, the ACR code captured second-by-second information about the video the TVs displayed. The software collected other personal information and transmitted it, along with the viewing data, to servers controlled by the manufacturer. Vizio then sold the data to unnamed third-parties for purposes of audience measurement, analysis, and tracking.

"For all of these uses, Defendants provide highly specific, second-by-second information about television viewing," FTC lawyers wrote in Monday's complaint. "Each line of a report provides viewing information about a single television. In a securities filing, Vizio states that its data analytics program, for example, 'provides highly specific viewing behavior data on a massive scale with great accuracy, which can be used to generate intelligent insights for advertisers and media content providers.'"

<snip>

The tracking started in February 2014 on both new TVs and previously sold devices that didn't originally ship with ACR software installed. The software periodically appended IP addresses to the collected data and also made it possible for more detailed personal information—including age, sex, income, marital status, household size, education level, home ownership, and home values—to be associated. The collection occurred under a setting that was described as a "Smart Interactivity" feature that "enables program offers and suggestions." The menu never informed users that the feature also transmitted viewing habits or other personal information. The complaint offered these additional technical details:

Through the ACR software, Vizio's televisions transmit information about what a consumer is watching on a second-by-second basis. Defendants’ ACR software captures information about a selection of pixels on the screen and sends that data to Vizio servers, where it is uniquely matched to a database of publicly available television, movie, and commercial content. Defendants collect viewing data from cable or broadband service providers, set-top boxes, external streaming devices, DVD players, and over-the-air broadcasts. Defendants have stated that the ACR software captures up to 100 billion data points each day from more than 10 million VIZIO televisions. Defendants store this data indefinitely.

Defendants’ ACR software also periodically collects other information about the television, including IP address, wired and wireless MAC addresses, WiFi signal strength, nearby WiFi access points, and other items.

<snip>

Read more: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/02/vizio-smart-tvs-tracked-viewers-around-the-clock-without-consent/

[appleannie1943]

1. We have had our Vizio for 5 years. I suppose they know we rarely even turn it on

during the day and we watch MSNBC every night. Then the local news. We are very boring people.

[kirby]

10. This is why privacy advocates are doomed to failure

in this country. For everyone who feels violated by these types of intrusions there are 100 of people just like you saying 'we are boring people' or 'we have nothing to hide'. It completely misses the point.

[appleannie1943]

12. Sorry, but I am one that would fight for the privacy but that does not mean they would find out

anything by monitoring our TV other than we watch a lot of news shows. Nowadays there is not much else worth watching.

[AllaN01Bear]

2. wonder how many other tv brands are doing collecting data w/w consent

[Else You Are Mad]

6. It is safe to assume...

That all of the smart tvs, phones and appliances are collecting data on us without our consent and / or knowledge.

[kirby]

11. Only if connected to the internet.

Obviously if you have a smart TV (hard to buy a non smart TV these days) and don't connect it to the internet you are okay. If it is not configured on your network, it will not be able to communicate any information to external parties.

[wishstar]

3. I always assumed they were receiving information back, but had no idea extent collected

Guess now all they have to do is print a disclosure in tiny print in packing material paper and they're good to go to continue the data collection.

I chose to not pay more for a smart TV for this very reason.

[Mc Mike]

4. Telescreen-like. rec, nt.

Last edited Tue Feb 7, 2017, 08:16 PM - Edit history (1)

[yardwork]

5. I wonder what Apple is doing with my phone.

[Bengus81]

7. What do people think those silly retail "rewards" cards do.....

actually GIVE you a reward?? Hardly,they track your every purchase,time of day, location,store number,product,how many,what color etc,etc. All under the ruse of getting a reward. Basically you do market research for a Company for FREE that used to PAY to have market research done for them.

[NBachers]

8. You hit on something that really gets my goat- Walgreens- how does Walgreens rate these cards?

The clerks at my local Walgreens probably think I'm some weird, bitter old crank from the way I react when they robotically ask for my phone number every time. Walgreens doesn't rate a "rewards" card, and I'm still not capable of figuring out what those so-called "rewards" are.

[MicaelS]

9. I love my Kroger Rewards card.

I get lower prices and coupons for free groceries. Even have gotten a free turkey at Thanksgiving. So yes, I do get rewards. I know they're tracking my purchases, so what.

[They_Live]

13. Would this be a bad time to bring up blu-ray players

that are connected to the internet?

I read about these devices (and smart TVs) being capable of data collection/mining prior to them being available, and found it disturbing. That being said, it was information that was easy to come by, so I am surprised that this lawsuit even happened. If tracking my viewing habits leads to more obscure and left-field entertainment being available. then great.