Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features

Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require a Walmart account just to access smart features, treating buyers as data sources rather than customers. The login wall appears after setup, locking streaming and settings behind a Walmart ID, a policy effective for all units manufactured after January 2026. While #2 focuses on public health, this move highlights a different erosion: customers are forced to trade 15 GB of viewing data annually for core functionality they already paid for.