New Television Real Cost Exposed

Do you have a television that has apps such as Netflix and Hulu built into it? Commonly referred to as “smart tv’s”, these televisions are just the latest item we as consumers have brought into our homes that has a hidden cost associated with it.

It is common knowledge your phone and even Facebook (along with other social media services) are spying on their members, but few people know your television is spying just as much, if not more. That is the gist of an interview with Vizio CTO Bill Baxter on the Verge podcast. Literally from the horse’s mouth so to speak.

According to Technavio.com, Vizio is #8 in the Top 10 television manufacturers in the world according to marketshare. That is not a great placement but it is still respectable. The things that Baxter brings up though are true for all smart television manufacturers, not just Vizio.

All smart television manufacturers, such as LG and Samsung, make use of those microphones in the TV. They pay attention to your viewing patterns such as what movies are being watched, what viewing apps you use and what time of day and even the content you are viewing.

This information is also being collected by the apps you are using, such as Roku. This information is used to sell advertising that is targeted towards you. The money earned from selling these ads is used to monetize the television after purchase by you and me, the consumer.

Engadget has touted Vizio televisions as great purchases based on the value in the price, yet they do not mention the method that Vizio gets the price that low.

Image source Pixabay

Most of the tracking can be allegedly turned off via various menu options in your smart television setups screens. If you are concerned about being tracked and companies collecting your data then maybe buy an older HDTV on eBay or from Amazon.