Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says his office has filed a smart TV privacy lawsuit against five television companies, arguing that some smart TV features crossed the line from convenience into covert tracking.
In a public statement, the office names Sony, Samsung, LG, plus Hisense and TCL Technology Group Corporation (TCL). Texas notes Hisense and TCL are based in China, and it frames the cases around what it describes as unlawful data collection happening inside people’s homes.
The key allegation is that the companies used Automated Content Recognition (ACR) to collect personal data about what consumers watch, without the viewer’s knowledge or meaningful consent, then profit from it through ad targeting.
The ACR claim in plain terms
Texas describes ACR as software that can capture screenshots of a TV display every 500 milliseconds, track viewing activity in real time, and send that information back to the manufacturer.
The state also claims this viewing data can be sold to help target ads across platforms. What will matter in the filings is the nitty-gritty: what disclosures were shown, how consent was requested (if at all), what data was collected, and whether consumers had a clear way to say no.
Why Texas says it matters
The attorney general’s office argues this is not only about advertising. It says the alleged tracking could put sensitive information at risk, and it points to examples like passwords and bank information.
Texas also raises a separate concern about data access when a company has China ties, citing China’s National Security Law as part of its argument about risk. Those claims are part of the state’s case, and they are likely to be tested hard as the lawsuits move forward.
What to watch next at home
The next practical checkpoint is the full text of the complaints, plus any responses from the companies. The statement lays out allegations, not findings, and the specifics will shape what this means for TV owners.
If this smart TV privacy lawsuit has you rethinking what your living room devices collect, it’s a good moment to open your TV’s privacy and advertising menus and look for settings tied to content recognition, viewing data, or ad personalization. The outcome here may set clearer expectations for what a “smart” TV is allowed to learn about your viewing, and how plainly it has to ask first.
