Vizio SmartCast (Inscape)

Why this rating

Vizio's Inscape division captured second-by-second viewing data from over 11 million TVs and sold demographically enriched profiles, resulting in a landmark 2017 FTC/NJ settlement and a separate ~$17 million class-action settlement, with the data business later resuming via iSpot.tv.

What it is

• Requires a cloud account
• Works offline

Manufacturer

VIZIO Inc.

Category

Smart TV

Model years

2014-present

Market status

Current

Companion app

SmartCast

The evidence 9

Independent research, regulatory action, lawsuits, breaches and journalism about this device — the "what actually happens" axis. Each links to its source.

1. S5FTC: Vizio to Pay $2.2 Million to FTC, State of New Jersey to Settle Charges
   Regulatory action · Federal Trade Commission · 2017-02-06

   Landmark 2017 FTC/NJ settlement in which Vizio paid $2.2 million for covertly collecting and selling second-by-second viewing data from over 11 million smart TVs.

   Why it matters here: Landmark FTC/NJ settlement is specifically about Vizio's SmartCast/Inscape ACR data collection.

2. S4Vizio Agrees to $17M Settlement to Resolve Smart TV Class Action Suit
   Lawsuit · Hunton Andrews Kurth Privacy Blog · 2018-01-01

   Vizio agreed to a roughly $17 million class-action settlement over its ACR-based tracking practices, separate from the FTC action.

   Why it matters here: Separate $17M class-action settlement against Vizio over the same ACR practices.

3. S4Vizio Settles for $2.2 Million in FTC Suit Over Snooping on Consumers' Viewing Habits
   Journalism · TechCrunch · 2017-02-06

   Reporting on the 2017 Vizio FTC settlement over unauthorized collection and resale of TV viewing data.

   Why it matters here: TechCrunch coverage of the Vizio FTC settlement.

4. S4Vizio Tracked, Sold User Data from Millions of Smart TVs, FTC Says
   Journalism · PBS NewsHour · 2017-02-06

   PBS coverage detailing how Vizio tracked and sold viewing data from over 11 million TVs without adequate consumer consent.

   Why it matters here: PBS coverage of the Vizio data-selling scandal.

5. S3Vizio's Data Business Back — Updated Privacy Policy, Expanded iSpot.tv Partnership
   Journalism · AdExchanger · 2021-01-01

   Reports that Vizio's Inscape data-licensing business resumed and expanded its viewership-data partnership with iSpot.tv after the FTC settlement.

   Why it matters here: Reports Vizio's Inscape data business resumed and expanded with iSpot.tv after the settlement.

6. S3The Real Takeaway From Vizio's Privacy FTC Settlement
   Journalism · Davis Wright Tremaine Media Law Monitor · 2017-10-01

   Legal analysis of the compliance lessons other smart-device makers should draw from the Vizio FTC settlement.

   Why it matters here: Legal analysis of compliance lessons from the Vizio case.

7. S3TIME: Vizio Settlement Highlights TV Privacy Concerns
   Journalism · TIME · 2017-02-01

   TIME coverage of the Vizio FTC settlement and its implications for smart-TV privacy broadly.

   Why it matters here: TIME coverage of the Vizio settlement's broader implications.

8. S2605 and VIZIO Announce Extended Agreement
   Journalism · Business Wire · 2022-05-18

   Press release confirming an extended data-licensing agreement between Vizio's Inscape unit and measurement firm 605 (Inscape/605).

   Why it matters here: Confirms extended Inscape/605 data-licensing partnership.

9. S1Inscape.tv Homepage
   Journalism · Inscape

   Inscape's own marketing site describing its automatic content recognition data-licensing business built on Vizio TV viewership.

   Why it matters here: Inscape's own site describes the ACR data business built on Vizio TVs.

Where your data goes

Third parties this device's data has flowed to, and on what basis. An ended tag means the flow has verifiably stopped — it stays listed for the record.

• Inscape / 605Ad tech · Sharing · Viewing History (ACR)
• iSpot.tvAd tech · Sharing · Viewing History (ACR)
• LiveRampAd tech · Sharing · Device Identifiers
• ExperianData broker · Sharing · Demographic Inferences