Class Action Lawsuit Claims Hisense TVs Spy on Americans

A class action lawsuit filed in the Northern District of California alleges that the Chinese Communist Party could be spying on millions of Americans through their televisions. This lawsuit was brought by attorneys from Peifer, Wolf, Kerr, Cain, Conway & Wise against Hisense USA, a subsidiary of the Chinese consumer electronics company Hisense Group Holdings.

The complaint suggests that Hisense smart TVs, which are present in many U.S. homes, utilize automatic content recognition (ACR) technology. This technology reportedly allows these devices to capture audio and visuals displayed on the screen every 500 milliseconds.

According to the lawsuit, this data isn’t just stored; it is shared with Hisense’s parent companies in China, which are bound by Chinese laws obligating them to hand over such data to the government or the Communist Party upon request.

The plaintiffs assert that Hisense infringed on their privacy rights by allegedly tracking their viewing habits and actions. They are seeking an injunction to halt these practices and are also pursuing financial compensation, including potential punitive damages.

“What is most surprising is the breadth of the conduct. This is not just a case about targeted advertising,” commented Brandon Wise, an attorney with Pipher Wolf. He explained that the complaint alleges Hisense TVs function like in-home surveillance devices. They supposedly capture what users watch and link that information to their household and device identifiers, distributing it within a wider network of ad tech and data brokers.

Wise continued, “Even more concerning is the connection between Hisense and state-owned enterprises in China, suggesting that sensitive U.S. consumer data could be exposed to Chinese laws.” The attorneys intend to fight this case vigorously, emphasizing that consumers’ personal viewing information should not be collected and monetized without clear notice or consent.

Hisense has previously faced accusations of spying on American consumers. For instance, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Hisense along with four other TV manufacturers over similar allegations related to the use of ACR technology.

Although not every Hisense device may function in the same way, it’s worth noting that Hisense Group Holdings is indeed a state-owned enterprise in China. Hisense has yet to comment on this recent lawsuit.