Podcast Summary

Podcast: Digital Social Hour
Host: Sean Kelly
Guest: Ken Paxton (Attorney General of Texas)
Episode: “Your TV Is Watching You” — Ken Paxton on Big Tech Tracking | DSH #1824
Date: February 12, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of Digital Social Hour features Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a candid conversation about privacy invasions by Big Tech and major corporations. Discussion centers on how smart TVs, social media, and other digital platforms are surveilling users, as well as Paxton’s ongoing legal battles against tech giants, the federal government, and the pharmaceutical industry. Paxton also reflects on political leadership, cultural shifts among young Americans, DEI initiatives, and the urgent need for electoral reforms.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Big Tech Tracking Through Smart TVs

• Smart TVs are Watching You: Paxton reveals ongoing lawsuits against major TV manufacturers like Samsung, Sony, LG, and a Chinese company, for recording and tracking user activity without consent.
  • “They're actually doing it every milliseconds. They're tracking and recording what you're watching.” — Ken Paxton [00:03]
  • Companies make more money selling user data than from TV sales themselves. [09:27]
• He equates this surveillance to widespread privacy violations, stating:
  • “It's not a conspiracy. They're actually doing it.” [00:03, 09:08]

2. Impact and Aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s Assassination

• The conversation takes place during Amfest, in the wake of activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination, which has galvanized the conservative movement.
  • “I'm sure the assassin thought he would end the whole movement, and yet the movement's grown, it's even stronger.” — Ken Paxton [00:26]
  • Paxton affirms his speech at Amfest will focus on carrying on Kirk’s legacy. [00:52-01:15]

3. Conservative Youth & Ideological Battles

• Paxton critiques educational institutions for promoting left-leaning, “socialistic” ideology, leading students away from faith and traditional values. [01:46-02:13]
• He discusses his involvement with Turning Point events to counteract these influences.
• On fear post-assassination:
  • “Anybody can be a target. Anybody that they disagree with. But we can't let it stop us.” — Ken Paxton [02:34]

4. Battling the Federal Government

• Paxton boasts about numerous lawsuits against both the Obama (27 in two years) and Biden (107 in four years) administrations.
  • “We're taking on the Justice Department... the biggest forces in government trying to push our country away from representative constitutional government to more of a oligarchy.” [03:38]
• He critiques Obama’s and Biden's approaches, stating Obama created the model for executive overreach while Biden’s team was even more aggressive, caring little about re-election. [04:23-05:06]

5. Big Tech & Big Pharma: Corruption and Lawsuits

• Paxton targets Big Tech (Google, Facebook/Meta, Twitter) and Big Pharma (especially Pfizer over COVID-19 vaccine claims).
  • “Pharma's pretty. Been pretty bad. We sued Pfizer over the vaccine because they lied to us... They never even tested it.” [05:37]
• He shares being censored personally by Twitter for comments on gender and athletic competition, and describes ongoing bias in algorithms and Wikipedia entries. [06:13-06:46]

6. Legal Battles with Social Media Platforms

• “They tried to control elections, they've tried to control thought. They tried to censor free speech... Those are companies we sued as well.” [05:55]
• Meta Lawsuit: Paxton sued for unauthorized collection of facial geometry data, resulting in a $1.4 billion settlement. [09:00]

7. Government Oversight & Section 230

• The discussion covers Section 230 protections and the argument that tech companies are no longer “just platforms” but active editors due to their algorithmic control and censorship. [07:48-08:11]

8. Surveillance Beyond TVs – Phones and Apps

• Paxton shares security tips learned from Elon Musk about phone surveillance:
  • “I said, hey, I'm nervous about my phone. So I turned it off. [Elon said:] 'That doesn't work.'... 'You got to move at least 40ft away. We put it in an ice box.'” [09:40]
• Reiterates that privacy concerns are not just conspiracies, citing Elon Musk’s confirmation. [11:11]

9. Future Legal Fights and Political Ambitions

• Paxton discusses ongoing lawsuits, including one against Epic for restricting access to healthcare information. [11:48]
• He emphasizes the importance of the upcoming Texas Senate primary (March 3rd), states he's running against incumbent John Cornyn, and critiques Cornyn’s track record. [11:44-12:51]

10. Election Reform and Term Limits

• Advocates for federal term limits due to campaign finance laws favoring incumbents:
  • “You got to have term limits... as long as we have these campaign finance laws that favor the incumbents.” [14:09]
• Supports lifting campaign finance restrictions so challengers can compete fairly, as practiced in Texas. [14:31-14:56]

11. Fighting DEI and Climate-Aligned Finance

• Paxton has worked to push back on DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) initiatives and policies like the Net Zero Banking Alliance, accusing them of harming traditional industries:
  • “We shut down the Net Zero Banking alliance... because we told them they can't do business in Texas...” [15:00]
• Applauds companies rolling back DEI initiatives and reiterates the importance of merit-based hiring, regardless of race or background. [15:28-16:04]
  • “I want the best person for the job, man.” — Interviewer [16:03]
  • “Well, same with the surgeon. Same with a lawyer. The reality is it ought to be based on merit.” — Ken Paxton [16:04]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Surveillance & Privacy
  • “They're actually doing it every milliseconds. They're tracking and recording what you're watching.” — Ken Paxton [00:03]
  • “It's not a conspiracy. They're actually doing it.” — Paxton [00:03, 09:08]
  • “These things [phones]... you got to move at least 40ft away. We put it in an ice box.” — Elon Musk via Paxton [09:40]
• On the Political Movement After Charlie Kirk
  • “I'm sure the assassin thought he would end the whole movement, and yet the movement's grown, it's even stronger.” [00:26]
• On Censorship and Big Tech Power
  • “They tried to control elections, they've tried to control thought. They tried to censor free speech.” [05:55]
  • “If places like Texas don't fight back, who's going to sue Google? Who's going to sue Facebook?” [06:48]
• On Merit-Based Hiring
  • “I tell people all the time. You may love me, but you don't want me to be your pilot. I don't care what color I am. I don't know how to fly a plane.” [15:55]
• On Campaign Finance and Term Limits
  • “You got to have term limits... as long as we have these campaign finance laws that favor the incumbents.” [14:09]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Surveillance by TV manufacturers: 00:00-00:15, 09:00-09:27
• Charlie Kirk’s assassination and movement aftermath: 00:26-01:15
• Youth, education system, and ideology: 01:46-02:13
• Paxton’s lawsuits against Obama/Biden: 03:33-05:06
• Big Pharma & COVID-19 lawsuits: 05:35-05:55
• Tech censorship and personal experience: 06:13-06:46
• Meta facial recognition lawsuit: 08:41-09:03
• Devices constantly listening (Elon Musk story): 09:40-11:11
• Upcoming legal fights and Senate run against John Cornyn: 11:44-12:51
• Term limits/political reform: 13:52-14:56
• Fighting DEI and net-zero finance: 15:00-16:04

Conclusion

This episode provides an unfiltered look at Ken Paxton’s battles with Big Tech, Big Pharma, and the federal government, as he champions privacy, conservative principles, and political reform. His litany of legal actions and willingness to tackle controversial issues make for a provocative discussion, with a focus on the high stakes of privacy in the digital age, the future of American conservatism, and the mechanisms needed to restore political accountability.