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{{Stub}}
{{ProductLineCargo
{{InfoboxProductLine
|ArticleType=Product<!--i mean it's pretty much a product and a service but i can't think of any concise verbage for what lies between-->
| Title = {{PAGENAME}}
|Category=TVs, Smart TVs
| Release Year = 2023
|Company=Telly
| Product Type = Smart TV
|Description=A smart TV sent to consumers for free in exchange for constant advertising and data collection.
| In Production = Yes
|InProduction=Yes
| Official Website = https://www.telly.com/
|Logo=Telly.png
| Logo = Telly.png
|ReleaseYear=2023
|Website=https://www.telly.com/
}}
}}
'''Telly''' is a line of free smart television sets created in 2023 by Ilya Pozin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/telly-free-4ktv-second-screen-advertising-ilya-pozin-1235611509/|title=Startup Telly Plans to Give Away 500,000 Free 4K TVs This Year. The Catch? The Sets Have a Second Screen That Constantly Shows You Ads |first=Todd|last=Spangler|work=Variety|date=2023-05-15|access-date=2025-04-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129025641/https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/telly-free-4ktv-second-screen-advertising-ilya-pozin-1235611509/|archive-date=2025-01-29|url-status=live}}</ref> The television requires a constant camera feed and internet connection, which then shows personalized ads to the user on its second screen.<ref name="wired">{{Cite web|url=https://www.wired.com/story/telly-tv-free-privacy/|title=The True Cost of a Free TV|first=Amanda|last=Hoover|date=2023-05-17|work=Wired|access-date=2025-04-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240926140050/https://www.wired.com/story/telly-tv-free-privacy/|archive-date=2024-09-26|url-status=live}}</ref>
'''Telly''' is a line of free smart TVs created in 2023 by Ilya Pozin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/telly-free-4ktv-second-screen-advertising-ilya-pozin-1235611509/|title=Startup Telly Plans to Give Away 500,000 Free 4K TVs This Year. The Catch? The Sets Have a Second Screen That Constantly Shows You Ads |first=Todd|last=Spangler|work=Variety|date=2023-05-15|access-date=2025-04-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129025641/https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/telly-free-4ktv-second-screen-advertising-ilya-pozin-1235611509/|archive-date=2025-01-29|url-status=live}}</ref> The TV is free, as the cost is recuperated by displaying ads on an auxiliary display below the main 55-inch screen. Customers who request a TV provide demographic information to Telly and a camera stays on while the TV is active.
 
The television requires a constant camera feed and internet connection, which then shows personalized ads to the user on its second screen.<ref name="wired">{{Cite web|url=https://www.wired.com/story/telly-tv-free-privacy/|title=The True Cost of a Free TV|first=Amanda|last=Hoover|date=2023-05-17|work=Wired|access-date=2025-04-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240926140050/https://www.wired.com/story/telly-tv-free-privacy/|archive-date=2024-09-26|url-status=live}}</ref> Users cannot cover the secondary display, as they would not be able to navigate the TVs UI, and it is also against the terms of service.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Roth |first=Emma |date=2025-09-28 |title=I spent three months with Telly, the free TV that’s always showing ads |url=https://www.theverge.com/televisions/777588/telly-tv-hands-on-ads |access-date=2026-01-25 |website=The Verge |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260211153537/https://www.theverge.com/televisions/777588/telly-tv-hands-on-ads |archive-date=11 Feb 2026}}</ref>


==Consumer impact summary==
==Consumer impact summary==
{{Placeholder box|Overview of concerns that arise from the conduct towards users of the product (if applicable):
 
* User Freedom
==== Business model ====
* User Privacy
The product is fully subsidized by advertising and data collection. Users who opt out of the data policy are forced to return the TV or pay over $1,000 for it.<ref name="wired" /> The business model is apathy, a resounding sigh of "well, I'm already being tracked, may as well get a free TV!"
* Business Model
* Market Control}}


====Privacy====
====Privacy====
As noted by some reviewers, the Telly TV shares data about watched shows and movies with third parties and ad networks to compensate the free price of the TV.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/home-entertainment/i-tested-this-free-tv-in-return-for-watching-targeted-ads-and-was-pleasantly-surprised/|title=I tested this 'Free TV' in return for watching targeted ads - and was pleasantly surprised |first=Artie|last=Beaty|work=ZD Net|date=2024-08-08|access-date=2025-04-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250216124017/https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/home-entertainment/i-tested-this-free-tv-in-return-for-watching-targeted-ads-and-was-pleasantly-surprised/|archive-date=2025-02-16|url-status=live}}</ref>
The product is fully subsidized by advertising and data collection. Telly TV collects metadata about the length of your viewing sessions and has [[automatic content recognition]], where it observes the channels you use and snapshots of the audio and video content you have watched. The device has a motion-tracking microphone and a camera. It closely tracks all interaction with the UI as well as the number of people in the room with the TV.<ref name="wired" /> The TVs also have a built-in sensor that can detect the number of people who are watching at any particular time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/home-entertainment/i-tested-this-free-tv-in-return-for-watching-targeted-ads-and-was-pleasantly-surprised/|title=I tested this 'Free TV' in return for watching targeted ads - and was pleasantly surprised |first=Artie|last=Beaty|work=ZD Net|date=2024-08-08|access-date=2025-04-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250216124017/https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/home-entertainment/i-tested-this-free-tv-in-return-for-watching-targeted-ads-and-was-pleasantly-surprised/|archive-date=2025-02-16|url-status=live}}</ref> The camera has a privacy shutter, but it is software controlled.<ref name=":0" />


==Incidents==
==== User freedom ====
This is a list of all consumer protection incidents related to this product. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{PAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
Users do not own their devices; in a literal and legal sense, Telly retains ownership of the device even once it is in your home. Under threat of a $1,000 penalty, the user cannot sell or dispose of this device, and they cannot obscure the ads. Opening the Telly enclosure is a violation of the terms of service. You are required to keep the device connected to the internet.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-02 |title=Telly Product Terms of Service |url=https://www.telly.com/bdtos |access-date=2026-01-25 |website=Telly |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251229191944/https://www.telly.com/bdtos |archive-date=29 Dec 2025}}</ref>
{{Placeholder box|Replace the placeholder text in the sections below with the incidents that affect this product and a short summary. Also replace the link so it point to the right product line or company article.}}
===Example incident one (''date'')===
{{Main|link to the main article}}
Short summary of the incident (could be the same as the summary preceding the article).
===Example incident two (''date'')===
...


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 13:47, 4 March 2026

Telly
Basic Information
Release Year 2023
Product Type TVs, Smart TVs
In Production Yes
Official Website https://www.telly.com/

Telly is a line of free smart TVs created in 2023 by Ilya Pozin.[1] The TV is free, as the cost is recuperated by displaying ads on an auxiliary display below the main 55-inch screen. Customers who request a TV provide demographic information to Telly and a camera stays on while the TV is active.

The television requires a constant camera feed and internet connection, which then shows personalized ads to the user on its second screen.[2] Users cannot cover the secondary display, as they would not be able to navigate the TVs UI, and it is also against the terms of service.[3]

Consumer impact summary

[edit | edit source]

Business model

[edit | edit source]

The product is fully subsidized by advertising and data collection. Users who opt out of the data policy are forced to return the TV or pay over $1,000 for it.[2] The business model is apathy, a resounding sigh of "well, I'm already being tracked, may as well get a free TV!"

Privacy

[edit | edit source]

The product is fully subsidized by advertising and data collection. Telly TV collects metadata about the length of your viewing sessions and has automatic content recognition, where it observes the channels you use and snapshots of the audio and video content you have watched. The device has a motion-tracking microphone and a camera. It closely tracks all interaction with the UI as well as the number of people in the room with the TV.[2] The TVs also have a built-in sensor that can detect the number of people who are watching at any particular time.[4] The camera has a privacy shutter, but it is software controlled.[3]

User freedom

[edit | edit source]

Users do not own their devices; in a literal and legal sense, Telly retains ownership of the device even once it is in your home. Under threat of a $1,000 penalty, the user cannot sell or dispose of this device, and they cannot obscure the ads. Opening the Telly enclosure is a violation of the terms of service. You are required to keep the device connected to the internet.[5]

References

[edit | edit source]
  1. Spangler, Todd (2023-05-15). "Startup Telly Plans to Give Away 500,000 Free 4K TVs This Year. The Catch? The Sets Have a Second Screen That Constantly Shows You Ads". Variety. Archived from the original on 2025-01-29. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Hoover, Amanda (2023-05-17). "The True Cost of a Free TV". Wired. Archived from the original on 2024-09-26. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Roth, Emma (2025-09-28). "I spent three months with Telly, the free TV that's always showing ads". The Verge. Archived from the original on 11 Feb 2026. Retrieved 2026-01-25.
  4. Beaty, Artie (2024-08-08). "I tested this 'Free TV' in return for watching targeted ads - and was pleasantly surprised". ZD Net. Archived from the original on 2025-02-16. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
  5. "Telly Product Terms of Service". Telly. 2024-10-02. Archived from the original on 29 Dec 2025. Retrieved 2026-01-25.