For First Time, FTC Says TV Viewing Data Is Sensitive Data

The regulators alleged that Vizio decieved consumers by collecting second-by-second data about what its customers watched on 11 million internet-connected TVs, including on DVDs and streaming devices, and enhancing that data with demographic information such as their age, gender, and income level, all without their knowledge or consent. Gathering the data without informed consent violated the FTC Act and New Jersey's consumer protection laws, according to the joint complaint, which also alleged that Vizio sold the information to third parties for purposes including ad targeting across devices.