A new report by the Center for Digital Democracy (CDD), submitted to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), claims the streaming industry operates a pervasive “surveillance system.”
Smart TV manufacturers, streaming device makers, and streaming services are all implicated in undermining consumer privacy and protection. The report highlights unprecedented tracking methods designed to benefit advertisers, turning connected TVs (CTVs) into a “privacy nightmare,” according to CDD executive director and report co-author Jeffrey Chester.
The CDD is urging stronger regulatory action.
Called “How TV Watches Us: Commercial Surveillance in the Streaming Era,” it is a comprehensive 48-page report that details how streaming services and hardware track viewers in invasive new ways, posing significant privacy risks. The report names major players in the streaming and TV manufacturing industries, including Amazon, Samsung, and LG, among others.
It criticizes “misleading” privacy policies that offer little information about data collection and tracking practices. The report also highlights tactics like cookie-less IDs and identity graphs, rendering promises not to collect or share personal information “meaningless.”
The report adds:
As a consequence, buying a smart TV set in today’s connected television marketplace is akin to bringing a digital Trojan Horse into one’s home.
The CDD, in a letter to the FTC, has urged an investigation into the US CTV industry, citing concerns about antitrust, consumer protection, and privacy. The group highlighted the difficulties streamers, even those paying for ad-free services, encounter in safeguarding their data from advertisers.
The CDD requested that the FTC scrutinize CTV practices and explore potential enhancements to existing legislation. Additionally, they called upon antitrust regulators to thoroughly examine the business practices of major CTV players, such as Amazon, Comcast, and Disney.
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