News texas AG files suit against tv makers for spying on tv owners

[gorobei]

smart tv makers sampling video and audio of whatever is on screen and sending fingerprint back to hq. sometimes every 10 ms.
sony, samsung, hisense, lg, tcl
temp RO to stop it for texas residents.

other states need to jump on this.

 

[ch33zw1z]

lol what til this guy learns about new fangled smart phones. Shocked!

 

[Red Squirrel]

Good we need more of this. Should sue smart phone makers for same reason. Need to stop just accepting this spying bullshit.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Good we need more of this. Should sue smart phone makers for same reason. Need to stop just accepting this spying bullshit.

Except read the tos.

 

[Fenixgoon]

And this is why i don't connect my tv to the internet

 

[cytg111]

As I keep saying, its the ads that is going to do us in.

 

[outriding]

And this is why i don't connect my tv to the internet

I did this because I did not hackers in my tv. Never thought the manufacturer would do this

 

[ch33zw1z]

And this is why i don't connect my tv to the internet

It's not *just* tv's though. if you use any set top devices: roku's, fire stick / cube, onn, shield....your phone. it's all doing the same thing.

back in the day there was the neilson (sp?) ratings devices. now it's a full on collection and has been for a loooong time. Social media monetization paved the way starting 20 years ago.

 

[IronWing]

When I bought a TV, I specifically bought one with no microphone. Now, the manufacturer may have lied and put a mic on it anyway. Microphones are so small and take so many forms, it would be difficult to detect one without tearing apart the TV and combing through every part.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Also Texas:

Texas Age Verification Law: Requirements and Legal Status

Texas’s strict age verification requirements (HB 1181) and the ongoing legal battles that have currently halted its enforcement.

legalclarity.org

 

[brycejones]

Good we need more of this. Should sue smart phone makers for same reason. Need to stop just accepting this spying bullshit.

Why you hate the legal agreement you agreed to?

Surveillance marketing is bullshit and needs to die in a fire, but the correct answer is through legislation.

Also Paxton is really playing to the China bad crowd on this one. He could give two shits about the underlying privacy issues at play here. Remember this is the man fighting to get access to the medical records of women in Texas.

 

[ch33zw1z]

When I bought a TV, I specifically bought one with no microphone. Now, the manufacturer may have lied and put a mic on it anyway. Microphones are so small and take so many forms, it would be difficult to detect one without tearing apart the TV and combing through every part.

In my state, the wire tapping laws prohibit audio recording where a person would have a reasonable expectation of privacy. If the ToS include microphone access (like the smartphone does), then you've waived your rights.

 

[brycejones]

Also Texas:

Texas Age Verification Law: Requirements and Legal Status

Texas’s strict age verification requirements (HB 1181) and the ongoing legal battles that have currently halted its enforcement.

legalclarity.org

Yeah, I give Paxton no credit here. This is a swipe at China and red meat for the base.

 

[Brainonska511]

Yeah, I give Paxton no credit here. This is a swipe at China and red meat for the base.

Yeah, I saw the thread and thought that there is no way Ken Paxton is doing something positive for consumers willingly. He's probably just looking for a bribe.

 

[nakedfrog]

It's not *just* tv's though. if you use any set top devices: roku's, fire stick / cube, onn, shield....your phone. it's all doing the same thing.

back in the day there was the neilson (sp?) ratings devices. now it's a full on collection and has been for a loooong time. Social media monetization paved the way starting 20 years ago.

Neilsen is still a thing, too. I was part of their program from 2021 until 2024. It pleased me to be the individual representative for thousands of people in my area as far as media consumption.

 

[gorobei]

Yeah, I saw the thread and thought that there is no way Ken Paxton is doing something positive for consumers willingly. He's probably just looking for a bribe.

i debated bringing in the fact that it is paxton which colors the motive, but the fact that they brought it means any other state can duplicate and they get the benefit of seeing what comes out of discovery and the defense the makers put forward. other states AG will be on the actual side of the consumer, so the net result will be a positive.

 

[itsmydamnation]

In my state, the wire tapping laws prohibit audio recording where a person would have a reasonable expectation of privacy. If the ToS include microphone access (like the smartphone does), then you've waived your rights.

What kind of shit country is the us of a where this is the case..... Do you have any real consumer protections?

 

[Muse]

What kind of shit country is the us of a where this is the case..... Do you have any real consumer protections?

There used to be some but Trump torpedoed the Environmental Protection Agency from the getgo in Trump 1.0. He's certainly set "DOGE" etc. hound dogs loose to gobble up any remnants of consumer protection by now in Trump 2.0.

A simple search just now on the following string by Google gives this result:

String searched: "Trump torpedoed the Environmental Protection Agency from the get-go in Trump 1.0"

AI Overview

During his first term, President Trump pursued a policy of
significant deregulation and a reorientation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prioritize American energy production and economic growth, which environmental groups described as an "assault" on the agency's mission. These actions included major rollbacks of numerous environmental rules and a reduction in the agency's scientific capacity and enforcement power.

Key Actions and Impacts

• Regulatory Rollbacks:The Trump administration reversed or significantly altered nearly 100 environmental rules and regulations. These actions included:
  • Replacing the Obama-era Clean Power Plan with a less stringent Affordable Clean Energy rule that did not cap carbon emissions.
  • Weakening fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards for cars and light trucks.
  • Repealing the Clean Water Rule, which removed federal protection for many wetlands and streams.
  • Easing restrictions on methane emissions from oil and gas operations.
• Staffing and Budget Cuts: The administration sought substantial budget cuts for the EPA, at one point proposing a 31% decrease, which led to job losses and a reduction in staff, including scientists. The administration also encouraged staff to leave through early retirements, resulting in a loss of institutional knowledge.
• Scientific Capacity Reduction: The EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD), its primary scientific research arm, was targeted for elimination or significant restructuring, raising concerns about the agency's ability to base regulations on independent science. The administration also disbanded the Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Carbon and directed agencies to stop using the federal estimates for the cost of carbon dioxide emissions in cost-benefit analyses.
• Leadership Appointments: Trump appointed leaders, such as Scott Pruitt and Andrew Wheeler, who had industry ties and a history of challenging EPA regulations. Pruitt, in particular, moved to roll back 30 regulations within his first four months and saw a significant drop in penalties imposed on polluters.
• Focus on Fossil Fuels: A central theme was the "America First Energy Plan," which aimed for U.S. "energy dominance" by promoting increased oil, gas, and coal production, often on federal lands, while curtailing support for renewable energy sources.

These actions fundamentally shifted the EPA's priorities away from climate change mitigation and toward a deregulatory agenda intended to boost the economy, drawing strong criticism from environmental and public health experts.

 

[feralkid]

There used to be some but Trump torpedoed the Environmental Protection Agency from the getgo in Trump 1.0. He's certainly set "DOGE" etc. hound dogs loose to gobble up any remnants of consumer protection by now in Trump 2.0.

A simple search just now on the following string by Google gives this result:

String searched: "Trump torpedoed the Environmental Protection Agency from the get-go in Trump 1.0"

AI Overview

During his first term, President Trump pursued a policy of
significant deregulation and a reorientation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prioritize American energy production and economic growth, which environmental groups described as an "assault" on the agency's mission. These actions included major rollbacks of numerous environmental rules and a reduction in the agency's scientific capacity and enforcement power.

Key Actions and Impacts

• Regulatory Rollbacks:The Trump administration reversed or significantly altered nearly 100 environmental rules and regulations. These actions included:
  • Replacing the Obama-era Clean Power Plan with a less stringent Affordable Clean Energy rule that did not cap carbon emissions.
  • Weakening fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards for cars and light trucks.
  • Repealing the Clean Water Rule, which removed federal protection for many wetlands and streams.
  • Easing restrictions on methane emissions from oil and gas operations.
• Staffing and Budget Cuts: The administration sought substantial budget cuts for the EPA, at one point proposing a 31% decrease, which led to job losses and a reduction in staff, including scientists. The administration also encouraged staff to leave through early retirements, resulting in a loss of institutional knowledge.
• Scientific Capacity Reduction: The EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD), its primary scientific research arm, was targeted for elimination or significant restructuring, raising concerns about the agency's ability to base regulations on independent science. The administration also disbanded the Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Carbon and directed agencies to stop using the federal estimates for the cost of carbon dioxide emissions in cost-benefit analyses.
• Leadership Appointments: Trump appointed leaders, such as Scott Pruitt and Andrew Wheeler, who had industry ties and a history of challenging EPA regulations. Pruitt, in particular, moved to roll back 30 regulations within his first four months and saw a significant drop in penalties imposed on polluters.
• Focus on Fossil Fuels: A central theme was the "America First Energy Plan," which aimed for U.S. "energy dominance" by promoting increased oil, gas, and coal production, often on federal lands, while curtailing support for renewable energy sources.

These actions fundamentally shifted the EPA's priorities away from climate change mitigation and toward a deregulatory agenda intended to boost the economy, drawing strong criticism from environmental and public health experts.

That's it, I've had it!
No 4th Trump Vote from me!

 

[IronWing]