Summary of the FTC’s 12/7 Workshop on Smart TV and Thoughts for the Future

What are the promises and potential privacy pitfalls when you take an old-fashioned television and connect it to the Internet? On December 7, 2016, the FTC hosted the final installment its Fall Technology Series in an effort to find out. The workshop explored Internet-connected TVs—smart TVs—and similar connected devices, such as Blu-Ray players, game consoles, streaming devices, and cable boxes, that deliver content to consumers on a large screen. Representatives from industry, the advertising community, privacy organizations, and the Commission weighed in on how stakeholders can take steps to protect consumers’ privacy without stifling innovation.