The UK’s privacy regulator is investigating whether smart TV manufacturers are collecting and using viewers’ personal information in compliance with data protection laws.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) announced that it will examine how smart TV makers gather, process, and share user data, amid growing concerns that many consumers do not fully understand how much information their devices collect.
According to the regulator, modern smart TVs can collect extensive information about viewing habits, including what users watch, when they watch it, how long they spend viewing content, and how they interact with applications and services. This data is often used to build detailed consumer profiles for advertising, recommendations, and analytics.
The investigation follows research commissioned by the ICO that found widespread confusion about data collection practices in connected devices. One-third of respondents said they do not understand how smart devices collect, use, and share personal information, while more than 40% expressed concerns about how their data is handled.
William Malcolm, the ICO’s Executive Director for Regulatory Risk and Innovation, said connected devices process some of the most sensitive information about people’s lives, including data related to daily routines, family life, and personal habits. The regulator wants manufacturers to ensure privacy protections are built into products from the design stage rather than added later.
A key area of concern is transparency and consent. The ICO said manufacturers must clearly explain what information is collected, why it is being collected, how long it will be stored, and whether it will be shared with third parties. The regulator also stressed that companies must have a valid legal basis for processing personal information, particularly when using viewing data for profiling or targeted advertising.
The UK review comes as smart TV manufacturers face increasing scrutiny elsewhere. In the United States, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed lawsuits against several major TV makers, accusing them of collecting viewing data through automated content recognition technology without obtaining proper user consent. The lawsuits describe the technology as a form of household surveillance used to build advertising profiles.
Regulators are particularly focused on technologies that track what appears on a television screen, even when viewers are using external devices such as streaming boxes or gaming consoles. Privacy advocates argue that many users remain unaware that these features are enabled or how the collected information may be used.
The ICO said it will engage directly with smart TV manufacturers throughout the year to assess compliance with UK privacy laws and determine whether additional enforcement action is necessary. Companies found to be violating data protection requirements could face significant penalties under UK regulations.