Samsung Electronics America has reached an agreement with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton that will require the company to strengthen its privacy disclosures and obtain explicit consumer consent before collecting smart TV viewing data.
The deal follows a high-profile lawsuit and temporary restraining order over Samsung’s use of Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) technology in its smart TVs.
Earlier this year, Paxton sued Samsung and several other TV manufacturers over alleged unlawful data collection practices. In January, a Texas court granted a temporary restraining order (TRO) blocking Samsung from collecting and sharing ACR data from Texas residents, citing likely violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA).
ACR technology works by capturing periodic screenshots of on-screen content. Previous court filings indicated Samsung TVs captured frames approximately every 500 milliseconds and matched them against a content database to determine what users are watching. This data can then be used for analytics and targeted advertising, including cross-device ad targeting. The Texas Attorney General’s Office argued that Samsung’s implementation relied on deceptive enrollment flows, vague terminology, and “dark patterns” that made it difficult for consumers to understand the scope of data collection or to fully opt out.
Under the newly secured agreement, Samsung must halt any collection or processing of ACR viewing data from Texas consumers unless it first obtains their express, informed consent. The company is also required to deploy software updates to its smart TVs that introduce clear and conspicuous disclosures, along with dedicated consent screens explaining what data is collected and how it is used.
“I commend Samsung for being one of the first smart TV companies in the world to make these important changes,” Paxton said in a statement announcing the deal.
Samsung Electronics America, the US subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a South Korean company, is one of the largest smart TV vendors in the United States and globally. Its TVs power millions of households and integrate a wide range of streaming services, advertising platforms, and connected home features. The company markets its Viewing Information Services (VIS) as a way to enhance content recommendations and advertising relevance.
In a statement to CyberInsider, the company said it shares the Attorney General’s goal of promoting transparent and consumer-friendly privacy practices. Samsung maintained that its existing television privacy policy complied with Texas regulations but agreed to enhance its language and disclosures. The company also reiterated that its TVs “do not spy on consumers” and stressed that users can adjust privacy settings at any time.
Paxton’s office has also filed lawsuits against Sony, LG, Hisense, and TCL Technology over similar ACR-related practices. According to the Attorney General, those cases remain ongoing. Hisense and TCL, both headquartered in China, were singled out in earlier filings over concerns tied to China’s National Security Law, though Samsung itself is a South Korean company.
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