Data Privacy and Cybersecurity

Vizio Had Smart TVs Spy On Their Owners To Sell The Data

TVs were updated in February 2014 to collect usage data.

Vizio Had Smart TVs Spy On Their Owners To Sell The Data
Vizio
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If you owned a Vizio Smart TV any time after February 2014, it might have been spying on you.

complaint filed Monday by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission said the smart TVs used software that spied on owners' viewing habits without their permission. Vizio then sold that data to third-parties.

In a statement to Engadget, the company said the program didn't pair viewing data with "personally identifiable information."

Internet Providers Now Need Your Blessing To Use Your Personal Info
Internet Providers Now Need Your Blessing To Use Your Personal Info

Internet Providers Now Need Your Blessing To Use Your Personal Info

Until the FCC's vote on Thursday, there were no restrictions in place on what data internet providers could access and who they could share it with.

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Vizio has already decided to settle. Among other things, the company will pay the FTC $1.5 million and delete all data collected before March 2016.