As smart TVs often unveil hidden features after their release date, it’s no surprise that one of the most popular brands out there has a trick it’s not advertising. Vizio’s Smart TVs track your viewing habits to share with advertisers, who in turn can find you on your smartphone and other devices.
The tracking, known as “Smart Interactivity,” has automatically been turned on to more than 10 million Smart TVs that the company has sold thus far. Customers do have the opportunity to opt-out by following these directions.
In a statement Vizio released to its customers, the company said, “[users’] non-personal identifiable information may be shared with select partners … to permit these companies to make, for example, better-informed decisions regarding content production, programming, and advertising.”
Other companies like Samsung and LG Electronics only track customers’ viewing habits if the customer deliberately chooses to activate the feature. But unlike Vizio, Samsung and LG do not provide information in such a way that allows advertisers to reach users on other devices. That’s a bit invasive.
Vizio’s technology analyzes snippets of the show you are watching – whether it be on standard television or Internet services such as Netflix – and determines the date, time, channel of programs, and whether you watched it live or recorded. The viewing patterns are then connected to your IP address, which can be linked to individuals’ age, profession, and wealth indicators. This info is then cross-referenced to whatever mobile device is attached to the Wi-Fi network.
Vizio recently updated its privacy policy to reflect its stance on providing customers’ viewing habit data to advertising companies so it “may combine this information with other information about devices associated with that IP address.” Be aware: the company does not promise to encrypt IP addresses before sharing them.
While cable and video rental companies are prohibited by law from selling information about viewing habits to their customers, Vizio says those laws (the Video Privacy Protection Act and cable subscriber protections) don’t apply to the web-based business.
The new tracking is intended to boost the company’s profits in the competitive television manufacturing business as Vizio’s current revenues from its viewing data business are not yet significant.
Source: Ars Technica
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