To receive the free TV, Telly users must submit detailed demographic info (such as age, gender and address), as well as purchasing behaviors, brand preferences and viewing habits, and they must agree to let their data be used for serving targeted ads. Telly’s TVs include a sensor that detects how many people are in front of the screen at any given moment.
So what’s the catch? Telly users must agree to several conditions under the company’s terms of service. If someone doesn’t abide by the TOS, Telly reserves the right to demand the TV be shipped back — otherwise, it will charge up to $1,000 to the credit card associated with a given account.
Among the Telly TV requirements: You must “use the product as the primary television in your household”; you must keep the TV connected to the internet at all times; and you are not allowed to use any ad-blocking software. In addition, users may not make “physical modifications to the product or attach peripheral devices to the product not expressly approved by Telly,” the company says in its terms of service. “Any attempt to open the product’s enclosure will be deemed an unauthorized modification.”
Why don’t we just invite big brother right into our living rooms, eh?
Also, I guess you need approval to connect an Xbox, Playstation, or set-top box? What about my htpc?
That’s a weird mix between 15 million merits and 1984. Holy shit. Makes me feel kinda uneasy
If I’m blocking ads with e.g. a Pi Hole, does that violate this? In that case I’m not running ad blocking software on the unit itself. Can they realistically dictate what people do outside of the product?
Edit: and for that matter, if my internet goes out but I still use my TV, am I then liable for my ISP’s outage?
Yes, using pihole would violate their ToS: https://www.freetelly.com/terms-of-service
(a) Use the Product as the primary television in Your household;
(b) Keep the Product connected to WiFi and internet; and
(c ) Not use any software on Your WiFi network that with advertising blocking capability.
(d) Not make physical modifications to the Product or attach peripheral devices to the Product not expressly approved by Telly. Any attempt to open the Product’s enclosure will be deemed an unauthorized modification.
If we discover that You are not abiding by the requirements above or have disconnected the Product from an internet connection or WiFi for more than short periods each month, You will no longer be able to use the Service and You must return any Products in your possession to Telly. Failure to return Products to Telly will result in Telly charging the credit card on file. If you do abide by the Terms of Service, your credit card will not be charged.
Hold on, let me just hang a curtain in front of the secondary screen.
There, so much better :)
Did you miss the fact that this TV has a camera that can count the number of viewers and can detect obstruction? Obstructing the ad screen broke the ToS and when they detect it, they can cancel your account and demand you too send the tv back or get charged $1000. Oh, and it’s also have a microphone in addition to the camera, which will double the fun.
From their website:
Now, all smart TVs come with ads. But you still pay for the TV. All of that changes today. During the signup process we ask questions about you and your household to optimize your ad experience. Brands in turn, pay for the non-intrusive ad on the Smart Screen. That’s how you get Telly free. Plain and simple. It’s time you got cut in on the deal.
They do have a point though. Is there any smart TV maker that don’t put ads on their TV?
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Ribbit
free-pc beat them to the punch by two decades.
This business model has been tried before. It doesn’t really work.
This is the most dystopian thing I’ve seen recently.
$249 for an Insignia 55” 4k tv at best buy right now. Come on people, sell some plasma, don’t buy contribute to this kind of thing.
Meh, your TV cost money while this TV is free, have an extra screen (for ads) and have built-in camera and microphone too! All I need to do is to connect it 24/7 to internet. Such a great deal! No one would give free TV to me, except probably my brother, so you could probably say the company is like a big brother to me.
Does this require always online drm? If not then fuck yeah i want a free tv. You could always download something like SmartTubeNext onto your tv to get around ads.
Good, if you don’t want it don’t buy it
I’m sure it’ll be clearly printed on the box in a way that a 20 year old, under-educated, single mother of 4, will fully understand what she’s agreeing to when she sees a cheap way to keep her kids entertained for a bit while she works her third job to ensure she can make her 1/8th of the rent on the 400 sq ft apartment for the month. Consumer culture is dreadful.
