People are more and more interested in smart TVs. However, the security of smart TVs is easily overlooked. According to foreign media reports yesterday, a man in the Indiana state of the United States recently discovered that his home smart TV has been monitoring him and collects its information for delivery to advertisers. Under anger, the man sued a smart TV producer and demanded compensation of US$5 million. 
Collect information to third parties
According to reports, the man named Trent, after purchasing a smart TV produced by the US company Vizio, discovered that the television monitored his every move and watched TV without his permission. The information is collected and passed on to third parties.
Trent, together with more than 100 other consumers, submitted a 27-page class-action lawsuit to the District Court of Indiana, USA, accusing Smart TV of monitoring their viewing habits and demanding a total compensation of US$5 million. The lawsuit also pointed out that the television also collected his IP address information through his network records, and even identified his other networked electronic product information.
Court documents show that these smart TVs use a software called "smart interaction" to collect information and pass it on to "advertisers and data brokers." Allegedly, the software is set to "default activation", and the number of smart TVs installed with this software has exceeded 10 million units in recent years. "After the third party obtains the personal data information, the intelligent electronic equipment that can share the same network with the Vizio Smart TV can target the advertisement."
Identify consumer age, occupation
Trent accused Vizio of concealing the details and facts of "tracking monitoring software" installed on smart TVs by default. The complaint document also pointed out that these smart TVs contain "Automatic Identification Content" (ACR) software. The software "can secretly track and record consumer viewing habits, and can also identify consumers' age, occupation, and specific wealth indicators."
"Vizio tracking software has also been designed to scan the user's home wifi network and secretly gather information." The software allows Vizio to sell secret information to advertisers, and Trent instigates Vizio for "gaining revenue through secret monitoring of consumers." "What makes him even more angry is that the company also hides the way the tracking software exists and invalidates it. It is very difficult to shut down the software.
Trent and other prosecutors stated in the complaint that if they knew in advance the existence of this tracking software, they would never buy a smart TV produced by the company. Trent's lawyers pointed out that "consumers should have the right to know beforehand."
It is understood that Vizio is headquartered in California. Founded in 2002, this private company is currently ranked 142rd in the Forbes magazine’s list of America’s largest private companies, and its revenue reached approximately US$3 billion in 2014. At present, the company did not respond to the matter.
Collect information to third parties
According to reports, the man named Trent, after purchasing a smart TV produced by the US company Vizio, discovered that the television monitored his every move and watched TV without his permission. The information is collected and passed on to third parties.
Trent, together with more than 100 other consumers, submitted a 27-page class-action lawsuit to the District Court of Indiana, USA, accusing Smart TV of monitoring their viewing habits and demanding a total compensation of US$5 million. The lawsuit also pointed out that the television also collected his IP address information through his network records, and even identified his other networked electronic product information.
Court documents show that these smart TVs use a software called "smart interaction" to collect information and pass it on to "advertisers and data brokers." Allegedly, the software is set to "default activation", and the number of smart TVs installed with this software has exceeded 10 million units in recent years. "After the third party obtains the personal data information, the intelligent electronic equipment that can share the same network with the Vizio Smart TV can target the advertisement."
Identify consumer age, occupation
Trent accused Vizio of concealing the details and facts of "tracking monitoring software" installed on smart TVs by default. The complaint document also pointed out that these smart TVs contain "Automatic Identification Content" (ACR) software. The software "can secretly track and record consumer viewing habits, and can also identify consumers' age, occupation, and specific wealth indicators."
"Vizio tracking software has also been designed to scan the user's home wifi network and secretly gather information." The software allows Vizio to sell secret information to advertisers, and Trent instigates Vizio for "gaining revenue through secret monitoring of consumers." "What makes him even more angry is that the company also hides the way the tracking software exists and invalidates it. It is very difficult to shut down the software.
Trent and other prosecutors stated in the complaint that if they knew in advance the existence of this tracking software, they would never buy a smart TV produced by the company. Trent's lawyers pointed out that "consumers should have the right to know beforehand."
It is understood that Vizio is headquartered in California. Founded in 2002, this private company is currently ranked 142rd in the Forbes magazine’s list of America’s largest private companies, and its revenue reached approximately US$3 billion in 2014. At present, the company did not respond to the matter.