Samsung ads in refrigerators: Difference between revisions
DRAFT |
added basic content description from public sources on the internet |
||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
|Description=An update will cause Samsung refrigerators to display curated ads on their screen. | |Description=An update will cause Samsung refrigerators to display curated ads on their screen. | ||
}} | }} | ||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
{{ | Samsung's '''Family Hub''' series of smart refrigerators feature large touchscreen displays and typically cost between '''$1,800 and $3,500''' <ref>{{Cite web |title=Samsung confirms its $1,800+ fridges will start showing you ads |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/samsung-confirms-smart-refrigerator-ads-are-coming-3598848/}}</ref> . These premium appliances have historically offered features like food management, family communication tools, and entertainment options through their displays. | ||
== | ==Incident== | ||
{{ | Samsung recently began displaying '''advertisements on the screens of Family Hub refrigerators''' in the United States through a software update<ref>{{Cite web |title=Software update shoves ads onto Samsung’s pricey fridges |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/09/samsung-forces-ads-onto-fridges-is-a-bad-sign-for-other-appliances/}}</ref>. Users discovered that their expensive appliances were showing ads for products and services directly on the refrigerator's display screen. The ads appeared as part of what Samsung describes as a "pilot program" currently limited to the US market<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Family Hub: Samsung's smart refrigerators display advertisement on their screens |url=https://www.heise.de/en/news/Family-Hub-Samsung-s-smart-refrigerators-display-advertisement-on-their-screens-10661420.html}}</ref>. The advertising initiative was implemented through a software update, meaning existing refrigerator owners suddenly found ads appearing on devices they had already purchased. | ||
== | |||
===Samsung's response=== | |||
---- | |||
Samsung has '''confirmed that the ads are part of an intentional pilot program''', not a technical error<ref name=":0" />. The company stated to Android Authority that this is a "pilot program" being tested in the US market, though they have not provided details about whether this program will expand to other countries or become permanent. Samsung has not issued a comprehensive public statement addressing user concerns about ads appearing on premium appliances. | |||
==Lawsuit== | ==Lawsuit== | ||
| Line 19: | Line 18: | ||
==Consumer response== | ==Consumer response== | ||
Consumer reaction has been '''overwhelmingly negative''', with users expressing frustration on social media and technology forums<ref>{{Cite web |title=Samsung brings ads to US fridges |url=http://reddit.com/r/technology/comments/1nk4y7l/samsung_brings_ads_to_us_fridges/}}</ref>. Key concerns include: | |||
* The '''invasion of privacy''' and '''bait-and-switch tactics''' of adding ads to already-purchased appliances | |||
* Questions about whether Samsung is '''scanning fridge contents''' and selling that data to advertisers | |||
* The inability to return or refund expensive appliances after the advertising update | |||
* Concerns that this sets a '''dangerous precedent''' for other smart home appliances | |||
Users have been seeking workarounds to disable the ads, with some suggesting methods to block the advertising servers through router settings<ref>{{Cite web |title=Samsung smart fridges may soon show ads you can’t escape, but users found a sneaky fix |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/samsung-smart-fridges-may-soon-show-ads-you-cant-escape-but-users-found-a-sneaky-fix/articleshow/123983993.cms}}</ref> The controversy has sparked broader discussions about the '''future of advertising in smart home devices''' and whether consumers will be forced to accept ads as part of owning connected appliances | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||