Vizio: Difference between revisions
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| Official Website =https://www.vizio.com/ | | Official Website =https://www.vizio.com/ | ||
| Logo =Vizio.png | | Logo =Vizio.png | ||
}}'''Vizio''' is an American designer of televisions, soundbars, and related software and accessories that has been owned by [[Walmart]] since 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://corporate.walmart.com/news/2024/12/03/walmart-completes-acquisition-of-vizio/| | }}'''Vizio''' is an American designer of televisions, soundbars, and related software and accessories that has been owned by [[Walmart]] since 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 Dec 2024 |title=Walmart Completes Acquisition of VIZIO |url=https://corporate.walmart.com/news/2024/12/03/walmart-completes-acquisition-of-vizio/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204110705/https://corporate.walmart.com/news/2024/12/03/walmart-completes-acquisition-of-vizio/ |archive-date=4 Dec 2024 |publisher=Walmart Corporate |language=en |format=press release}}</ref> | ||
==Consumer impact summary== | ==Consumer impact summary== | ||
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====Privacy Violations==== | ====Privacy Violations==== | ||
*Consumers unaware their viewing habits were being tracked<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dwt.com/blogs/media-law-monitor/2017/10/the-real-takeaway-from-vizios-privacy-ftc-settleme| | *Consumers unaware their viewing habits were being tracked<ref>{{Cite web |author1=Christin S. McMeley |author2=Paul Glist |author3=John D. Seiver |author4=Alexander B. Reynolds |date=Oct 2017 |title=The Real Takeaway From VIZIO's Privacy FTC Settlement |url=https://www.dwt.com/blogs/media-law-monitor/2017/10/the-real-takeaway-from-vizios-privacy-ftc-settleme |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202003735/https://www.dwt.com/blogs/media-law-monitor/2017/10/the-real-takeaway-from-vizios-privacy-ftc-settleme |archive-date=2 Dec 2020 |publisher=Davis Wright Tremaine LLP |language=en |format=article}}</ref> | ||
*Personal information linked to viewing data without consent<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2017/02/what-vizio-was-doing-behind-tv-screen| | *Personal information linked to viewing data without consent<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |author=Lesley Fair |date=6 Feb 2017 |title=What Vizio was doing behind the TV screen |url=https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2017/02/what-vizio-was-doing-behind-tv-screen |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313091120/https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2017/02/what-vizio-was-doing-behind-tv-screen |archive-date=13 Mar 2022 |publisher=Federal Trade Commission (FTC) |language=en |format=press release}}</ref> | ||
*Data shared with multiple third parties<ref name=":0" /> | *Data shared with multiple third parties<ref name=":0" /> | ||
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*[[Vizio fined by the FTC for collecting and selling user data without consumer consent]] (2017): Vizio sold consumers’ viewing histories to advertisers and others without consent. The company provided consumers’ IP addresses to data aggregators, who then matched the address with an individual consumer or household. Vizio’s contracts with third parties prohibited the re-identification of consumers and households by name, but allowed a host of other personal details – for example, sex, age, income, marital status, household size, education, and home ownership. And Vizio permitted these companies to track and target its consumers across devices.<ref name=":0" /> | *[[Vizio fined by the FTC for collecting and selling user data without consumer consent]] (2017): Vizio sold consumers’ viewing histories to advertisers and others without consent. The company provided consumers’ IP addresses to data aggregators, who then matched the address with an individual consumer or household. Vizio’s contracts with third parties prohibited the re-identification of consumers and households by name, but allowed a host of other personal details – for example, sex, age, income, marital status, household size, education, and home ownership. And Vizio permitted these companies to track and target its consumers across devices.<ref name=":0" /> | ||
*[[Vizio sued over unfairly appropriated software for their SmartCast system]] (2018-now): Ongoing legal case about the alleged refusal to comply with the pro-consumer terms of used licenses. | *[[Vizio sued over unfairly appropriated software for their SmartCast system]] (2018-now): Ongoing legal case about the alleged refusal to comply with the pro-consumer terms of used licenses. | ||
*Vizio strongly disagrees with Consumer Reports not recommending them anymore (2019): Vizio does not address the concerns raised by the reports, and instead states "It inherently assumes that TVs from 2010 should behave the same as TVs today in terms of performance.", "The applications (apps) on connected TVs are dependent on a multitude of third-party service providers. The number of variables involved in the performance of connected TVs is greater than for non-connected TVs."<ref>{{Cite web|url-status=dead|url=https://www.vizio.com/en/press/2019/mar/VIZIO-responds-to-consumer-reports-grossly-inaccurate-reliability-survey-vizio-hdtvs-maintain-high-consumer-ratings-and-overall-satisfaction;|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723182552/https://www.vizio.com/en/press/2019/mar/VIZIO-responds-to-consumer-reports-grossly-inaccurate-reliability-survey-vizio-hdtvs-maintain-high-consumer-ratings-and-overall-satisfaction|title=VIZIO Responds to Consumer Reports’ Grossly Inaccurate “Reliability” Survey; VIZIO HDTVs Maintain High Consumer Ratings and Overall Satisfaction|archive-date=23 Jul 2021|date=28 March 2019|language=en|format=press release|publisher=VIZIO}}</ref> Consumer Reports revealed that Vizio has subpar reliability relative to other TV manufacturers, which is also among competing smart tv's.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.consumerreports.org/media-room/press-releases/2019/03/consumer-reports-no-longer-recommends-vizio-and-hisense-tvs-due-/| | *Vizio strongly disagrees with Consumer Reports not recommending them anymore (2019): Vizio does not address the concerns raised by the reports, and instead states "It inherently assumes that TVs from 2010 should behave the same as TVs today in terms of performance.", "The applications (apps) on connected TVs are dependent on a multitude of third-party service providers. The number of variables involved in the performance of connected TVs is greater than for non-connected TVs."<ref>{{Cite web|url-status=dead|url=https://www.vizio.com/en/press/2019/mar/VIZIO-responds-to-consumer-reports-grossly-inaccurate-reliability-survey-vizio-hdtvs-maintain-high-consumer-ratings-and-overall-satisfaction;|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723182552/https://www.vizio.com/en/press/2019/mar/VIZIO-responds-to-consumer-reports-grossly-inaccurate-reliability-survey-vizio-hdtvs-maintain-high-consumer-ratings-and-overall-satisfaction|title=VIZIO Responds to Consumer Reports’ Grossly Inaccurate “Reliability” Survey; VIZIO HDTVs Maintain High Consumer Ratings and Overall Satisfaction|archive-date=23 Jul 2021|date=28 March 2019|language=en|format=press release|publisher=VIZIO}}</ref> Consumer Reports revealed that Vizio has subpar reliability relative to other TV manufacturers, which is also among competing smart tv's.<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 Mar 2019 |title=Consumer Reports No Longer Recommends Vizio and Hisense TVs Due to Problems with Reliability |url=https://www.consumerreports.org/media-room/press-releases/2019/03/consumer-reports-no-longer-recommends-vizio-and-hisense-tvs-due-/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191120093010/https://www.consumerreports.org/media-room/press-releases/2019/03/consumer-reports-no-longer-recommends-vizio-and-hisense-tvs-due-/ |archive-date=20 Nov 2019 |publisher=Consumer Reports |language=en |format=press release}}</ref> | ||
==Acquisition== | ==Acquisition== | ||
Vizio was acquired by [[Walmart]] for $2.3bn in December 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Walmart’s Acquisition of VISIO: |url=https://www.tradingcalendar.com/post/walmart-s-acquisition-of-vizio-transforming-home-entertainment-and-retail-advertising-wmt-vzio |access-date=30 August 2025 |website=Trading Calender}}</ref> | Vizio was acquired by [[Walmart]] for $2.3bn in December 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Walmart’s Acquisition of VISIO: |url=https://www.tradingcalendar.com/post/walmart-s-acquisition-of-vizio-transforming-home-entertainment-and-retail-advertising-wmt-vzio |archive-url=https://archive.ph/8MtkA |archive-date=6 Jan 2026 |access-date=30 August 2025 |website=Trading Calender}}</ref> | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
Revision as of 22:04, 6 January 2026
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Vizio
| Basic information | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2002 |
| Legal structure | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Electronics |
| Official website | https://www.vizio.com/ |
Vizio is an American designer of televisions, soundbars, and related software and accessories that has been owned by Walmart since 2024.[1]
Consumer impact summary
Privacy Violations
- Consumers unaware their viewing habits were being tracked[2]
- Personal information linked to viewing data without consent[3]
- Data shared with multiple third parties[3]
Financial Impact
- Consumers unknowingly subsidized lower TV prices through data sales[3]
- No direct compensation to affected consumers despite $2.2 million settlement[3]
- Data collection potentially continued for years before discovery[3]
Incidents
This is a list of all consumer protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the Vizio category.
- Vizio fined by the FTC for collecting and selling user data without consumer consent (2017): Vizio sold consumers’ viewing histories to advertisers and others without consent. The company provided consumers’ IP addresses to data aggregators, who then matched the address with an individual consumer or household. Vizio’s contracts with third parties prohibited the re-identification of consumers and households by name, but allowed a host of other personal details – for example, sex, age, income, marital status, household size, education, and home ownership. And Vizio permitted these companies to track and target its consumers across devices.[3]
- Vizio sued over unfairly appropriated software for their SmartCast system (2018-now): Ongoing legal case about the alleged refusal to comply with the pro-consumer terms of used licenses.
- Vizio strongly disagrees with Consumer Reports not recommending them anymore (2019): Vizio does not address the concerns raised by the reports, and instead states "It inherently assumes that TVs from 2010 should behave the same as TVs today in terms of performance.", "The applications (apps) on connected TVs are dependent on a multitude of third-party service providers. The number of variables involved in the performance of connected TVs is greater than for non-connected TVs."[4] Consumer Reports revealed that Vizio has subpar reliability relative to other TV manufacturers, which is also among competing smart tv's.[5]
Acquisition
Vizio was acquired by Walmart for $2.3bn in December 2024.[6]
See also
References
- ↑ "Walmart Completes Acquisition of VIZIO". Walmart Corporate. 3 Dec 2024. Archived from the original (press release) on 4 Dec 2024.
- ↑ Christin S. McMeley; Paul Glist; John D. Seiver; Alexander B. Reynolds (Oct 2017). "The Real Takeaway From VIZIO's Privacy FTC Settlement". Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. Archived from the original (article) on 2 Dec 2020.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Lesley Fair (6 Feb 2017). "What Vizio was doing behind the TV screen". Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Archived from the original (press release) on 13 Mar 2022.
- ↑ "VIZIO Responds to Consumer Reports' Grossly Inaccurate "Reliability" Survey; VIZIO HDTVs Maintain High Consumer Ratings and Overall Satisfaction". VIZIO. 28 March 2019. Archived from the original (press release) on 23 Jul 2021.
- ↑ "Consumer Reports No Longer Recommends Vizio and Hisense TVs Due to Problems with Reliability". Consumer Reports. 26 Mar 2019. Archived from the original (press release) on 20 Nov 2019.
- ↑ "Walmart's Acquisition of VISIO:". Trading Calender. Archived from the original on 6 Jan 2026. Retrieved 30 August 2025.