Data collection has become such a pervasive part of nearly everything we use these days that some of us have gotten kind of numb to it.

TVs are no exception.

TVs actually started getting more affordable around the transition to the “smart” era, which is counter-intuitive.

After all, it has more features – shouldn’t that make it MORE expensive?

Except that those extra features allow companies to offset the cost through things like serving ads to the menu screens, and, you guessed it, data collection.

Still, this example from @destineekiekintveldblogs is surprising in just how far it goes.

“What’s funny to me is the thing that I thought that was gonna get banned before TikTok got banned is my television,” she begins.

“So something to know about my television is I got it completely free,” she says, turning the camera toward an impressively large-screened display.

“But I have to share my data, and I have to have it on Wi-Fi all the time. That is the agreement that I signed to get this television for free.”

Um, what?

“And it, like, has something that’s like Alexa, that, like, it can hear you say its name. And it is definitely something that if the US finds out exists, I feel like it would probably be more of a threat than TikTok, honestly. This TV has all of my data, and it knows what I watch and everything.”

Hmmm… that sounds really fun.

Not.

Take a look at the video…

@destineekiekintveldblogs

My beta Telly TV anyone else own one of these?

♬ original sound – Destinee|UGCblogger

Even in an era of spyware, this feels shady. Like what is that thing at the top?

Also that big panel at the bottom – is an EXTRA AD SCREEN?

What exactly is the right trade off?

Still, some people really want one:

Big yikes from me.

If you liked that story, check out this video about a mom who reveals the inappropriate healthcare questionnaire her 13-year-old daughter got at school.