Samsung Electronics' consumer privacy policies describe broad, cross-product data collection and disclosure of personal data to business partners, affiliates, and subsidiaries, with jurisdiction-specific notices layered on top of a global baseline policy. The company's track record includes a 2022 customer data breach affecting U.S. systems, a 2015 FTC complaint filed by EPIC alleging undisclosed SmartTV voice recording, and a 2026 Texas Attorney General settlement over undisclosed Automated Content Recognition (ACR) viewing-data collection on smart TVs. Corporate ownership is publicly disclosed through securities filings but is structured through a complex web of cross-shareholdings among Samsung Group affiliates that concentrates control with the founding Lee family.
TRACK RECORD
1 ENFORCEMENT ACTION
[2026-02-26]
In February 2026, Samsung became the first smart TV manufacturer to reach a settlement with the Texas Attorney General over allegations of undisclosed ACR-based viewing data collection, agreeing to implement clearer consent and disclosure screens.
Samsung's privacy policy states it collects data such as name, personal and contact information provided by users, and separately collects data about when and how users use Samsung's products and services.
Samsung's September 2022 breach notice disclosed that customer data affected in the incident could include name, contact and demographic information, date of birth, and product registration information.
The Texas Attorney General's petition against Samsung alleged that the company's Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) technology collected consumer viewing data and built behavioral profiles from Smart TVs.
Public ownership data for Samsung Electronics lists major disclosed shareholders including the National Pension Service, Samsung Life Insurance, and Samsung C&T Corporation, with Samsung Group listed as the parent entity.
Financial reporting on Samsung's shareholding structure describes cross-holdings among Samsung Group affiliates, such as Samsung C&T's stake in Samsung Life Insurance which in turn holds shares of Samsung Electronics, as enabling the founding Lee family to retain effective control despite limited direct individual ownership.
Samsung's Data Privacy Framework policy discloses that the company shares Consumer Personal Data with its business partners as well as its own affiliates and subsidiaries.
The Texas Attorney General's lawsuit, later settled, alleged that Samsung's smart TV viewing data collected via ACR technology was used to support targeted advertising, a practice the settlement required Samsung to disclose more clearly and gate behind consent.
Samsung's official September 2, 2022 notice confirmed that an unauthorized third party acquired information from some of Samsung's U.S. systems in July 2022, and stated that the incident did not impact Social Security numbers or credit and debit card numbers.
In February 2026, Samsung became the first smart TV manufacturer to reach a settlement with the Texas Attorney General over allegations of undisclosed ACR-based viewing data collection, agreeing to implement clearer consent and disclosure screens.
Samsung's cookie policy for its privacy.samsung.com site discloses use of cookies, including those associated with Google Inc., to improve site experience and show visitors relevant advertising.
The Texas Attorney General's official settlement announcement describes Samsung's smart TVs as having used Automated Content Recognition (ACR) technology to collect viewing data, a practice the state's filings characterized as monitoring what consumers watch without informed consent.