There's no such thing as a free lunch.
As a viral Reddit post showed, one company — Telly — gave away a limited number of smart TVs last month, trading them for the opportunity to collect data and directly advertise to consumers. Was it a fair swap?
The news, shared to the r/ABoringDystopia subreddit, described the "free" offering.
"A company is giving away a free 55" smart TV with a second screen under the main that plays only ads. The TV is required to be connected to the internet and the ads cannot be disabled," the poster explained.
The photo of the TV in question shows a banner-like second screen below the main one, with a small but distinct camera between the screens. According to one comment on a post in the r/TellyTV subreddit, the camera is supposedly used only for the video conferencing app Zoom. The shutters are closed by default but open when the application is in use.
"For a free tv, you could buy some black poster board and cover the bottom screen. … At least it's on the bottom," one commenter trying to look on the bright side of things said.
Others were repulsed by the ethics behind the deal.
"Who wants to advertise to someone who can't afford a TV?" one user asked. Another posted, "Why do advertisers want to collect data on the poorest people in society?"
This offering clearly revealed where some companies' priorities lie: Profits above consumers.
This trend of businesses' putting earnings above all else has also resulted in decisions that deprioritize the planet's health, as oil giant BP demonstrated in killing 18 of its clean energy hydrogen projects.
Fortunately, there are multiple alternative sources from which to score a new TV that doesn't come with strings attached.
Browse an online marketplace, such as Facebook, for a TV your neighbors no longer need. Shopping locally also decreases the amount of fuel needed to transport the item to you.
Dumpster diving has yielded exceptional finds, too, including for this diver, who found a fully functional gaming laptop in the trash.
Or follow this hack to save money on new appliances from big-box stores if you don't mind minor aesthetic damage.
"I bet we could run Linux on this bad boy with some slight soldering if needed," one user offered.
"Just paint it," another commenter suggested.
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