Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense, and TCL Technology Group for using Automated Content Recognition (ACR) technology to collect Texans' viewing data without proper consent. A temporary restraining order was secured against Hisense to halt all data collection and sharing. The AG issued a consumer alert with instructions to disable ACR on smart TVs.
A temporary restraining order (TRO) was issued against Hisense, prohibiting it from collecting, using, selling, sharing, disclosing, or transferring data via ACR. The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief against all five companies.
In-house legal teams should review all vendor and customer agreements with smart TV manufacturers (Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense, TCL) that involve data collection or ACR technology. Focus on clauses governing data collection consent, automated content recognition usage, data sharing with third parties (e.g., advertisers), data retention periods, breach notification obligations, and consumer opt-out rights. Updates may be needed to ensure explicit, informed consent for ACR, implement clear opt-out mechanisms, limit data sharing purposes, align retention schedules with legal requirements, and strengthen breach notification terms. Data processing addendums should be revised to address ACR-specific processing activities.
Entity
Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense, TCL Technology Group
Also known as: Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense, TCL
Industry
TechnologyOfficial Press Release
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/consumer-alert-ken-paxton-warns-texans-about-ccp-aligned-smart-tvs-are-spying-them
attorney general paxton sues five major tv companies includi
https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-paxton-sues-five-major-tv-companies-including-some-ties-ccp-spying-texans
attorney general ken paxton secures court order stopping ccp
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-secures-court-order-stopping-ccp-aligned-smart-tv-company-spying-texans
Texas Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer-protection/privacy
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Open AI Global, LLC and affiliated entities, alleging that ChatGPT was marketed as safe and reliable without disclosing risks of inaccurate or harmful outputs. The suit also alleges harms to minors and collection of their data without parental oversight; the release states no monetary penalty or specific remedy imposed.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance with Lululemon USA Inc. after investigating potential PFAS and consumer representations about product safety. The agreement requires the company to maintain supply-chain chemical standards, verify vendor compliance through testing or certifications, and take corrective action for three years; no monetary penalty is stated.
$3.0M
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a settlement requiring Temu to protect Texans’ sensitive personal data from exposure to the Chinese Communist Party and to strengthen product-safety practices. Temu must pay Texas $3 million, comply with data-security requirements backed by a potential $8 million annual penalty, conduct annual independent product testing, and take specified action on products found to contain harmful substances.
$773.0M
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that a multistate coalition had secured an opioid settlement with Albertsons, which would require the grocery chain to pay more than $773 million nationally once final. Texas and its political subdivisions may receive up to $57.8 million for opioid abatement; the release does not identify privacy violations.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Gerber Products Company and Nestlé USA, Inc., alleging that Gerber made deceptive safety and testing claims while its baby food contained dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals. The lawsuit asserts claims under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act; the release does not report a settlement, monetary penalty, or court order.
$1.5M
The Texas Attorney General obtained a judgment holding Rubinsky Roofing LLC liable for 27 violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, including deceptive practices involving older consumers and payment for unnecessary or unfinished repairs. The judgment requires more than $1.5 million in civil penalties, allocates at least $500,000 to consumer restitution, and permanently bars the company and its owner from the practices at issue.