The solution to this lies in educating & incentivizing the vast majority of lay consumers who either (a) don't know what their devices are up to, or (b) don't c

The solution to this lies in educating & incentivizing the vast majority of lay consumers who either (a) don't know what their devices are up to, or (b) don't care. But looking at the way people buy ACs and refrigerators, I think a "privacy rating" of some kind might work. So a "smart TV" that monitors & reports everything you do ought to get a 1-star while another that zealously guards your privacy and uses explicit opt-ins may get 4- or 5-stars.