No one is bitter about a sweet, says the Spanish proverb. In other words, you should not reject something pleasant or beneficial, no matter how little. And more if we get free, they will add others. The example is Telly, the US company that gives away dual-screen smart TVs in exchange for advertising and your personal data. If the agreement is breached, the company may charge us up to one thousand dollars from the card associated with the account.
Telly sells its product – for now, only in the US – as a new customer experience: “The integrated smart display will bring new experiences to your living room, such as video calls, instant news and sports updates, video games, a gym and much more”.
Unlike your main screen, where there will be no advertising or interruptions, personalized ads will be displayed on the bottom. “During the registration process, we ask questions about you and your home to optimize your ad experience. Brands, in turn, pay for the non-intrusive ad on the smart screen,” it adds on its website. A new form of payment.
Telly will not only display ads, but may also collect some personal data. Users are required to submit detailed demographic information (such as age, gender, and address), as well as purchasing behaviors, brand preferences, and viewing habits. In addition, this data may be delivered to third parties, as stated in the privacy policy.
To enjoy this 55-inch television, we must meet a series of requirements: use the product as the main television; keep you connected to the Internet at all times; not to use any ad blocking software; and desist from any physical modification that is not approved by Telly.
Not meeting these requirements can be expensive. As reported by Variety, the company reserves the right to demand that the television be returned to it or, if it detects fraudulent use, it may charge up to a thousand dollars from the credit card associated with the account.
Despite the intrusion into user privacy, Telly is doing well. According to company data, more than 250,000 people have signed up in the US to receive a free TV.
And they have already started sending the first ones. “Exciting day for Telly as we start shipping the smartest TV ever built to homes across the country for free!” she announced via her Twitter account. According to Variety, the rest is expected to be distributed between now and the fourth quarter of 2023.
