Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed lawsuits against five leading TV manufacturers, accusing them of secretly spying on viewers through smart TV technology. The targeted companies include industry giants Samsung, LG, Sony, Hisense, and TCL.

According to the lawsuits, these companies utilize Automated Content Recognition (ACR) technology to gather personal data without user consent. Paxton’s office describes ACR as an “invisible digital intruder” that captures screenshots every half-second, monitors viewing habits in real time, and transmits this information back to the manufacturers. This data is then sold to advertisers, raising serious privacy concerns.

Experts warn that such practices could expose sensitive information, including passwords and banking details. Privacy advocate Dr. Emily Chen notes, “Consumers often remain unaware of the extent to which their viewing data is harvested and exploited.” The lawsuits argue that these actions violate the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, seeking fines of up to $10,000 per violation and higher penalties for violations involving seniors.

Texas also requests temporary restraining orders to halt data collection and sharing during the legal process, aiming to protect consumers from ongoing privacy breaches.

David Nield

Dave is a freelance tech journalist with over 20 years covering gadgets, apps, and the web. From Stockport, England, he covers news, features, and reviews for TechRadar, focusing on phones, tablets, and wearables. He ensures top weekend breaking news and has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci, and others. He edited PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook for years. Read me on x.com or linkedin.