Walmart has made its account mandatory for setup and smart TV features on select new Vizio OS televisions. Walmart acquired Vizio in December 2024. The stated reason is serving advertisers better, not improving the user experience.
Vizio TVs have required a Vizio account since 2024, tied to ad targeting and behavioral tracking built into Vizio OS. The Walmart account requirement is an expansion of that infrastructure, not a replacement. Your TV is now a logged-in retail endpoint.
The full article includes a direct statement from a Walmart spokesperson and details on which models are affected. Read it to understand exactly what you are agreeing to when you plug in a new Vizio set.
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