SAN JOSE, Calif. (CBS Sacramento) — When choosing a smart television, buyers are often presented with a variety of features. One they may not be aware of: that TV could be watching you.

Vizio Smart TVs, one of the most popular manufacturers, can track your viewing tendencies and report them to advertisers, as reported by ProPublica.

The feature, “Smart Interactivity,” is already turned on as a default setting for millions of people who have purchased the device. Viewers are able to turn off the setting, that is, if they know it even exists.

“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,” Vizio said in a statement.

Vizio seems to be taking a new approach by tracking viewers by default, while competitors like San Jose-based Samsung or LG Electronics leave it to customers to turn the setting on. Vizio’s sharing with advertisers also reportedly lets them target devices like your phone, which other companies do not.

Smart Interactivity analyzes watching habits of viewers including content, time, and channel. The patterns are connected to the viewer’s IP address, which can be used to identify other devices in the home.

In an October filing, Vizio said that its new tracking tactics will increase profit margins in the business and will be able to provide “highly specific viewing behavior data on a massive scale with great accuracy.”

Companies like Neustar, Tapad, and Experian have either denied working with the company or said they are unable to share the name of companies they work with.


Vizio Smart TVs Track Watching Habits To Work With Advertisers « CBS Sacramento http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2015/11/11/vizio-smart-tvs-track-viewers-watching-habits-to-work-with-advertisers/
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Own a Vizio Smart TV? It’s Watching You - ProPublica

http://www.propublica.org/article/own-a-vizio-smart-tv-its-watching-you?utm_source=et&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailynewsletter&utm_content=&utm_name= /

"With your ip address" this is already the case with other companies, many companies are switching from cable based to "Over the Top(OTT)" and with those services they can track your viewing habits regardless of what type of TV you have...it's similar to Netflix (but with live channels) Netflix knows every show you've watched, how long you continously watched for (that's how they make those 'suggestions for you') yes they are collecting your viewing habits, and so will companies that provide these services. ..pretty soon we'll be able to order just the channels we want, without having to pay for a ton of channels we don't need, but as with every advance in technology we give up a little of our privacy. .but so many of us want the convenience we don't really care (or are unaware) how they do it, as long as it makes our life easier.

My point, you can by a Samsung, vizio, Lg, whatever but turning that option off on your TV will do absolutely nothing in preventing content providers from tracking your viewing habits

My question is, would it really be that bad?
I mean if they will track what u are viewing?

Average normal people, actually appreciates,
if it is more convenient and affordable to
watch what we want to view.

Yes, we give up a little of our privacy,
but as long as it is not use to kill people,
hurt innocents,& blow up cities,
For me, I think in a way it has its merit.

The fact, that I do not watch television at all, negates the need to own or possess ANY type of television.

Don't have cable...too expensive! Can't get satellite... 100 ft. trees in the way! Antennas don't work...in the woods surrounded by hills!

I have a lot of movies and television shows on my home network that keep me entertained. Guess I would ruin there watching me if they could even get a signal from my television??

Do we need to give them something worthwhile to watch?

So is my smartphone....my smart fridge....my smart washing machine and my smart watch...

No wonder I'm paranoid!!!!!

Bro take a smart pill?

Smart assss.....

You left the door open and I ran through it

If that shows more support to my favorite shows, I'm good with that. Going out to the advertisers means the popularity and the renewing of the commercials that fund the show.

I have already lost two of my favorite shows Alcatraz and the Following. If I lost Criminal Minds, Gotham, Law and Order SVU or the Muppets on ABC well that would just suck.