No they aren't. 45% of the commercials are for this candidate. 45% of the subsequent commercials are for the first candidate's opponent. 9% are for prescription drugs (their side effects, actually). The remaining 1% is to advertise other shows on that channel. **** It definitely is a racket. Of course you can (and perhaps should) disable wifi on that device but if that is how you watch TV, you must be connected. I personally don't feel the TV itself a big threat. The TV does NOT know our real names or billing information and therefore cannot tie what we watch to us personally. HOWEVER, if a paid streaming service, they have our real names and billing information. But even if we use a free service, if we get TV through a cable or satellite provider, they have that information. So the only "private" option is to move to an area that has decent OTA coverage and use an antenna. Or visit your public library and check out a book - assuming they still come in printed on paper formats.
This is actually what I use and I really haven't seen any commercials for candidates, which does surprise me. There are also a lot of commercials for charities such as children's cancer hospitals and the ASPCA, but just about every commercial that isn't one of those 2 are for whatever the latest medication is.
OTA TV gives access to local network affiliates - like your local ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS stations. Not sure how you are not seeing ads for your local state, county and town races - you must have a small bladder and are missing them.
I have no idea why I'm not seeing them but I haven't noticed any. Not a swing state so they probably are spending the money elsewhere.
If you sign into your Google account, which many tv's ask you to do now, I think they know who you are.
How? Google does not require you provide your real name, billing information, street address to have a Google account.
I'm pretty sure a Samsung account on their TVs does the same. They can probably check everything you watch through it, even the antenna channels. They provide the guide, it knows what channel you are on.
I have a Samsung account. All they have is my Gmail account and that does not tell them who I really am.
