According to the AG’s office, the tech giant has agreed to no longer use technology that can track what viewers are watching on Samsung TVs without their consent.
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says his office has made a deal with Samsung over privacy and data collection.
According to the attorney general’s office, the tech giant has agreed to no longer use technology that can track what viewers are watching on Samsung TVs without their consent.
In December, Paxton filed lawsuits against Samsung – as well as Sony, LG, Hisense and TCL Technology – accusing the companies of unlawfully collecting personal data through content recognition technology inside their TVs then selling that information to other companies for targeted ads.
“I commend Samsung for being one of the first smart TV companies in the world to make these important changes,” Paxton said in a news release sent Thursday. “Texans must be fully informed about whether their data is collected and be in full control of how it’s used. The changes outlined in this agreement help accomplish both of those aims and are an important step forward in reforming smart TV manufacturers’ data collection practices. While Samsung has stepped up to promptly implement important safeguards for consumers, other smart TV companies have instead chosen to illegally spy on Texans and act as digital invaders in their homes. Those companies will be held accountable, and our legal actions against them will move forward.”
KVUE reached out to Samsung for a statement on the settlement. Their response can be read below:
“Samsung shares the Texas Attorney General’s goal of promoting transparent and consumer-friendly privacy practices. We appreciate the opportunity to discuss our Viewing Information Services (VIS) in more detail, and make enhancements to further strengthen our privacy disclosures.
While we maintain our original television privacy policy and notices followed existing Texas state regulations, as a trusted brand, Samsung is proud to be at the forefront of protecting consumer privacy and security.
The settlement affirms what Samsung has said since this lawsuit was filed – Samsung TVs do not spy on consumers. In fact, Samsung allows you to control your privacy – and change your privacy settings at any time.
We hope our updated language will provide additional reassurance to our customers and serve as a new standard for others in the television industry.”