United States of America: Texas Attorney General filed lawsuit against TCL North America over alleged automatic content recognition surveillance practices

On 15 December 2025, the Texas Attorney General filed Texas’s Original Verified Petition, Application for Temporary and Permanent Injunctions, and Request for an Ex Parte Temporary Injunction against TCL North America, Inc. in the District Court of Williamson County, Texas. The lawsuit concerns the use of Automatic Content Recognition technology in TCL Smart TVs to monitor viewing behaviour across operating systems and connected devices and to monetise this data for advertising purposes. The petition alleges deceptive consent mechanisms and insufficient disclosures. The Texas Attorney General alleges violations of Section 17.46 of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and invokes Section 17.47 of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The petition seeks injunctive relief and monetary relief, including civil penalties, attorney’s fees, litigation expenses, and costs, and states that the State claims entitlement to monetary relief in an amount greater than USD 1 million.