Posted on 03/31/2026 1:32:45 PM PDT by dennisw
Louis Rossmann opens by greeting viewers and introducing a discussion about televisions that now require a Walmart account for full functionality, highlighting how this has become a real trend. He references a Consumer Rights Wiki article explaining that certain newer Vizio TVs—and other brands using the Vizio operating system—require users to create or log into a Walmart account just to complete setup and access smart features. Walmart frames this as a way to streamline setup and connect streaming activity with retail behavior, but he argues the real motivation is clear: companies now make more money from advertising and user data than from selling hardware. He points to Vizio’s financials, noting that the company earned significantly more from advertising and data collection than from TV sales themselves, and says this model is only expanding. He adds that even high-end TVs, like his expensive LG OLED, default to allowing personal data collection, which he finds unacceptable.
He criticizes corporate messaging that claims targeted ads help consumers discover products, questioning how survey questions are framed to make intrusive tracking sound beneficial. He expresses frustration at being forced to create accounts and accept ads for products he already purchased, comparing it to being misled outright. He then explains a practical issue: even basic use cases like watching content often require proprietary apps. Using his own setup—a Linux PC connected to a 4K TV—he describes paying for Netflix’s 4K plan but receiving poor-quality streams due to restrictions tied to approved devices and software. As a result, users are pushed toward built-in TV apps, which in turn enforce account requirements like Walmart’s, creating more opportunities for data collection and advertising.
He warns this trend could escalate further, speculating about future requirements like age verification tied to devices, potentially even requiring ID submission just to use a television. He rejects the idea that this is a “slippery slope fallacy,” arguing that current developments already demonstrate the trajectory. He emphasizes how complicated it has become to access services like Netflix in full quality, often requiring knowledge of undisclosed technical requirements, which drives users toward locked-down ecosystems.
Referencing reporting from Ars Technica, he notes that Vizio TVs are increasingly being used as advertising platforms, including integrations that link ads directly to retail product pages. He thanks journalist Sharon Harding for covering these ownership and consumer rights issues and promotes the Consumer Rights Wiki browser extension, which helps users identify companies’ data practices when shopping. He encourages viewers to contribute to the wiki, noting that many articles need improvement, and asks for help with improving the site’s visibility on Google, as newer pages struggle to rank despite containing valuable information. He closes by inviting technically knowledgeable viewers to assist and thanks the audience, ending with his usual sign-off.
Dear FRiends,
We need your continuing support to keep FR funded. Your donations are our sole source of funding. No sugar daddies, no advertisers, no paid memberships, no commercial sales, no gimmicks, no tax subsidies. No spam, no pop-ups, no ad trackers.
If you enjoy using FR and agree it's a worthwhile endeavor, please consider making a contribution today:
Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you,
Jim
I’ve got four 46” and up Sony’s, all but one from Craigslist. Two LCD, two LED, all 10+ years old and still have beautiful pictures.
I have a wooden pepper mill with a little steel crank .... “Made in Taiwan”. The grind gears are stainless too.
Does it have Wi-Fi?
Mahindra and Kioti are not too bad. I’m still a Binderboy, even though Case IH are leaning toward the scoundrel side of business, some loyalties die hard.
And my oven/stove, and clothes washer, and dryer.
I didn't expect that. I don't care how "convenient" it is to control my stove from my phone, it's not a good idea.
Remember, if something is “free”, YOU are the product.
my antique beats yours. What year is yours? You might see it on ebay.
What is Binder? .....
AI said “Binder” or “Binderboy” is an old-school nickname tied to International Harvester. My friend’s father had IH pickup or suv type. Squarest vehicle I ever saw.
AI got that correct. I’m an enthusiast for collecting and restoring of International Harvester vehicles and farm equipment. There are still a few of us die-hards around.
I’m not worried about it.
They can waste all the time they like logging our interests in quilting, kettlebell routines, UFO sightings, old 1960s television game shows, and the habits of barred owls in Indiana.
Via HDMI or DisplayPort from a laptop?
Memo to all nsa, fbi, cia, dia, dea, atf, mba, aok, fmj, kgb, MI5,
and any others that might be listening/reading/tracking my
metadata...i share this computer with an old lady, an ex-con, a
priest, a used car salesman, a military veteran, a pacifist, a
vegetarian, a hunter, a circus midget, a Panamanian strong man, and
a chihuahua...so any data you have will be random and useless...good
luck.
gspn, hghroad
“HDMI port from a refurb desktop bought at Amazon.”
Love them OptiPlex. If I had to buy one tomorrow, would be this one at eBay. Put in more RAM and an nvme drive -—>>>
DELL OPTIPLEX 5070, i5-9500, 3.20 GHz, 8 GB RAM, 500 GB HDD
US $135.00 (free shipping)
The family of a high school buddy in the mid-70s had an International Travelall SUV.
It was indeed *very* square.
It also had a pretty interesting transmission/drivetrain setup that would go 4WD low range suitable for pulling stumps.
I own a Vizio it’s crap half the time you have try 5 or more times to get it to turn on new remotes do the same thing I’ll never own another one.
A friend of mine bought a robot vacuum and after a year he had to subscribe to the company he bought it from, (I think it was Wallyworld), which he refused to do. So they shut down the vacuum.
We are being spied on 24/7. I made the mistake of buying a spatula on line and for three or four months the pop up adds on my feeds were constantly coming up.
Half the articles you see now are really ads in disguise. “Seniors are doing this instead of buying expensive hearing aids!”
People sell Non smart TVs on the secondary market when they upgrade. I’ve sold several myself. And I’m not talking old Tube TVs either. A typical 55” Samsung that is not smart will sell for less than $100.
Walmart won’t let me create an account because I don’t have a cell phone for them to send text messages to. And I’m not getting one just for them. I like the Vizio tv set I bought several years ago, so I’ll just keep using it, or buy another brand.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.