The German Bundeskartellamt (Federal Cartel Authority) is conducting an enquiry on the use of user data by smart TV makers and service suppliers. The first step will be an enquiry that will be sent to TV set makers as there is concern that users and owners are not aware of the data that is collected and how it will be used.
The enquiry is part of a longer term look at issues of consumer protection as the IoT develops.
Analyst Comment
The issues of privacy are taken incredibly seriously in Germany. I haven’t checked if this is still the case, but at one point a couple of years ago, a judge decided that the image of a person falling on the sensor of a digital camera constituted a breach of privacy, even if it was never permanently stored. TV makers will need to make sure that they have thought through what they are doing with user data and how they are communicating. (BR)
