Kentucky House Passes Bill to Protect Smart TV Data Privacy

Legislation sponsored by Rep. Josh Branscum aims to increase consumer consent for data collection on smart devices.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 6:56pm

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The Kentucky House of Representatives has passed legislation sponsored by Representative Josh Branscum (R-Russell Springs) that would amend current state law to include definitions for 'smart monitor' and 'automatic content recognition.' The measure, HB 692, would classify automatic content recognition data as sensitive data that cannot be collected without consumer consent.

Why it matters

As smart TVs and other connected devices become more prevalent in homes, there are growing concerns about the amount of personal data being collected through these devices without consumers' full knowledge or consent. This legislation aims to give Kentucky residents more control over the data their smart devices are gathering.

The details

HB 692 would expand the definition of sensitive data under Kentucky law to include automatic content recognition data, which is collected by smart TVs and monitors to track streaming habits, serve personalized ads, and make content recommendations. Under the new bill, companies would need to obtain explicit consumer consent before collecting this type of data.

  • The Kentucky House of Representatives passed HB 692 on March 16, 2026.
  • The legislation now heads to the state Senate for consideration.

The players

Representative Josh Branscum

The Republican state representative from Russell Springs who sponsored the data privacy legislation, HB 692.

Kentucky House of Representatives

The lower chamber of the Kentucky state legislature that passed Branscum's data privacy bill.

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What they’re saying

“This bill is a continuation of my efforts to protect Kentucky consumers and their data. Smart television devices are collecting a digital fingerprint with each use, and this bill increases protection for consumer privacy.”

— Representative Josh Branscum

“I am thankful to the members of the House for passing this bill and anticipate similar passage by the Senate. I am committed to passing this bill into law in order to keep Kentucky consumer data secure.”

— Representative Josh Branscum

What’s next

The legislation now heads to the Kentucky State Senate, where it will need to pass before being signed into law by the governor.

The takeaway

This bill represents an important step in giving Kentucky consumers more control over the personal data collected by their smart TV and connected device usage. As smart technology becomes increasingly ubiquitous in homes, measures like this one will be crucial to protecting individual privacy rights.