Vizio's New TV Demands Data Collection to Use Apps

Vizio's 2026 TVs force a choice: let the TV watch and report what you're watching, and use streaming apps, or turn off the smart features entirely and use the TV as a basic screen. Even if you plug in an outside streaming device, Vizio can still track what you watch—unless you disable the TV's smart features completely. This echoes a 2017 settlement where Vizio was caught collecting data without permission.