Does Vizio Purchase Let China Into Your TV Room?

Vizio, the largest maker of TVs in the U.S., is the subject of about 15 privacy lawsuits for its software that logs what the customer is watching. And now Beijing-based electronics firm LeEco has committed $2 billion to acquiring Vizio, leading some to wonder whether the Chinese government’s tendency to closely monitor tech and content industries could be expanding to U.S. consumers using networked devices at home. Though LeEco is a private firm, China’s government media regulator, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, has reportedly proposed that streaming video companies grant board seats and sell equity stakes to the government. The lawsuit against Vizio makes claims under the Video Privacy Protection Act, the Wiretap Act, and other consumer statutes passed in California, Florida, New York, Massachusetts, and Washington.