CyberHappenings logo
☰
Home Browse Watchlists Experimental About

Track cybersecurity events as they unfold. Sourced timelines. Filter, sort, and browse. Fast, privacy‑respecting. No invasive ads, no tracking.

Texas Sues TV Manufacturers for Alleged Unauthorized Data Collection via ACR Technology

First reported
Last updated
1 unique sources, 3 articles

Summary

Hide ▲

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed lawsuits against Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense, and TCL Technology Group Corporation for allegedly using Automated Content Recognition (ACR) technology to secretly capture screenshots of users' viewing activity every 500 milliseconds and sell the data without consent. The suits highlight concerns about data access by Chinese companies under China's National Security Law. A Texas court initially issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against Samsung, prohibiting the company from collecting audio and visual data from Texas consumers' smart TVs. However, the court vacated the TRO the following day, allowing Samsung to continue its data collection practices. The TRO, which was set to extend until January 19, followed allegations that Samsung's ACR enrollment practices are deceptive and violate the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA). The court also noted that users are pressured into consenting to data collection through dark patterns, making it difficult to fully opt out. The lawsuits allege that the collected data is sold to third parties for ad targeting, violating users' privacy rights. This follows a similar 2017 case against Vizio, which settled for $2.2 million for similar practices.

Timeline

  1. 08.01.2026 18:47 2 articles · 23h ago

    Texas Court Issues TRO Against Samsung for ACR Data Collection

    A Texas court issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against Samsung, prohibiting the company from collecting audio and visual data from Texas consumers' smart TVs. However, the court vacated the TRO the following day, allowing Samsung to continue its data collection practices. The TRO, which was set to extend until January 19, followed allegations that Samsung's ACR enrollment practices are deceptive and violate the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA). The court also noted that users are pressured into consenting to data collection through dark patterns, making it difficult to fully opt out.

    Show sources
    Open in new tab
  2. 08.01.2026 18:47 1 articles · 23h ago

    Texas Court Vacates TRO Against Samsung

    One day after issuing a temporary restraining order (TRO) against Samsung, a Texas court vacated the order, allowing Samsung to continue collecting data from Texas consumers' smart TVs. The TRO hearing is scheduled for January 9, 2026.

    Show sources
    Open in new tab
  3. 16.12.2025 19:29 3 articles · 23d ago

    Texas Sues TV Manufacturers for Alleged Unauthorized Data Collection

    Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed lawsuits against Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense, and TCL for allegedly using ACR technology to secretly capture screenshots of users' viewing activity and sell the data without consent. The lawsuits highlight concerns about data access by Chinese companies under China's National Security Law. Additionally, a Texas court initially issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against Samsung, prohibiting the company from collecting audio and visual data from Texas consumers' smart TVs. However, the court vacated the TRO the following day, allowing Samsung to continue its data collection practices. The TRO, which was set to extend until January 19, followed allegations that Samsung's ACR enrollment practices are deceptive and violate the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA).

    Show sources
    Open in new tab

Information Snippets

Similar Happenings

FTC sues Sendit for illegal collection of children's data and deceptive practices

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed a lawsuit against Iconic Hearts Holdings Inc., the operator of the Sendit app, and its CEO, Hunter Rice, for allegedly collecting personal data from children under 13 without parental consent. The lawsuit also alleges deceptive practices related to the app's subscription services. Sendit is a social media companion app popular among teenagers, with over 25 million users. The FTC's investigation found that Sendit collected personal data from 116,000 users under the age of 13 in 2022, violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The app also deceived users by generating fake anonymous messages and misrepresenting the benefits of its premium Diamond Membership. The FTC alleges that these practices violate the FTC Act and the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA). The lawsuit seeks to address these alleged violations and protect consumers, particularly minors.

Open in new tab

Apitor Technology Sued for Exposing Children's Geolocation Data to Chinese Third Party

The U.S. Department of Justice has sued Apitor Technology for allegedly allowing a Chinese third party to collect children's geolocation data without parental consent. Apitor's robot toys, controlled via an Android app, embed the JPush SDK, which has been collecting precise location data since at least 2022. The lawsuit alleges violations of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA). Apitor's app requires location sharing to function, but it does not disclose that the data is shared with a third party. The proposed settlement mandates compliance with COPPA, a $500,000 penalty, and strict data handling practices.

Open in new tab