The Origin Panel  Avis 66

I've just received one of these letters, strangely soon after declaring that I don't need a TV licence (similar to others here I see!).

Ridiculously vague on what this is really all about and the rewards aren't worth talking about either.

Straight in the bin.

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is the EU data protection legislation we're still using in the UK.

Origin's waffle states that this will be adhered to. Thing is, in their video they say don't worry "we won't collect any sensitive information such as bank account numbers or card numbers". But "Sensitive Information" is a defined term within the Act, as below:

[There is stronger legal protection for more sensitive information, such as:

race
ethnic background
political opinions
religious beliefs
trade union membership
genetics
biometrics (where used for identification)
health
sex life or orientation]

To get around this, they want participants to "Consent". This basically removes your protection and allows them to do what they want with your data. They say they will tell you when they're sharing your data with new organisations but they don't say you can object.

Many people just don't realise the value of their data. Loyalty cards and free apps etc are just invitations to harvest data, for free!

You do know that those home assistant thingies were used for machine learning etc.

I don't use supermarket loyalty cards as I don't want to trade my data for paying a normal price rather than an inflated one.

Sure I'm defensive. And yes, my work involves AI / ethics / Data but there is sooooo much data collected on us secretly anyway. I would want a LOT more than some pizza discount vouchers and the odd Amazon gift card to pr05?!?ute my whole family's personal data. Really.. this is a huge giveaway -not for the participants but for the market researchers.

Volunteer to be a secret shopper or something that doesn't compromise your privacy.

It's comical - I have no TV and a recent declaration of the don't need a TV license form has this Origin Panel malarkey on my doorstep. I only have internet through my phone, which is enough for me. Their invitation for continuous surveillance reminded me of the free Tv with two screens that have deployed in the US. My main reason not to have a TV is the damn adverts. Beam me up.
"Telly"
Telly promises a free TV in return for your data and some advertisements. The ads weren't nearly as intrusive as I thought they would be, and the audio and video quality were excellent. A built-in camera not only adds useful features but also offers some fun, new ways to interact.

Ignore. 'your household have been chosen', but cannot even get the names on the letter .. :0.

I have recently dumped the TV licence that was in my ex's name at my property, and now I recieve this media survey from theoriginpanel.org Kantar. It sure does feel like a fishing exercise to find out what I am watching on what media and to track everything I do? Does anybody else have the same experience after dumping the TV licence?

Just got the letter stating me and the family are the chosen ones .😂 they didn't know any names in the household just randomly choose areas where they think we need the money to sell our souls to the devil. We are monitored everywhere we go spied on now they want to invade my home with substandard equipment to spy on me for a couple of extra quid. who pays for the electric for the running this intrusive equipment. Get stuffed nothing is free wake up people u will pay later down the line. Don't do it

Having just been invited to "Join the Original Panel", I came here to get an idea of what this is *actually* all about.
The reviews here are polarised between
a) Those happy to take dirty money in return for access to more about themselves than they realise, and
b) Those who realise that once that data has been harvested, they can't get it back.
As a recently retired software engineer, I can say that anyone who installs anything (be it a box or an App) that performs data gathering on the home side of your router firewall is giving full access to rather more information than you might ever imagine. One hopes that all those who read this have already ensured each device firewall is also tightened down, though that isn't enough to stop your personal data leaking out.
Just one question to those who gave it 5 stars because it paid well...

"Do you think they'd pay you more money than they can earn by selling your data to organisations about which you know nothing?"
That isn't free money - you've sold your household data and you can't get it back.

Wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. Extremely intrusive and you won't know exactly what data is being collected and what affect the devices etc could have on your equipment. If you are desperate to make some cash try switching your bank account instead!

Goodness me - surely people aren’t signing up for this? A few quid a month in exchange for all that personal data! I think not!

Dreadful idea. Company sends this spam letter to people.

The parent company is Kantar. Look at their reviews on Trust Pilot. Almost all 1 star.

My family filled the ‘no TV license required’ form on their website and, a few days later, have received a letter by The Origin Panel/Kantar, inviting us to be part of this ‘club’, where they monitor our tv and internet use! 😗

We do not watch TV, have nothing to hide, but Hell would have to freeze over first before having some device installed in our home - our privacy is too precious.

Like many reviewers, I'm concerned about the invasion of privacy into peoples' homes, especially where children are using the internet within that home. All internet data is being captured - why would anyone want this, unless they are desperate for the incentives offered?

I intercepted a Kantar letter (no specified property nos) to a large block of flats, as I have been part of the Kantar group up until recently and curiousity got the better of me. I've had trust issues with this company, as have many thousands who were not provided with the incentives they were entitled to, including refunds of account balances which were taken away from them. I saw it coming, so cashed out in time.

There are other, better ways of earning cash through apps, online. My advice with these schemes: don't bother, as you could end up wasting your time, and losing private, personal data!

I'm a techy and data privacy advocate, and I understand the privacy intrusion issues here. Don't sell your data to the lowest bidder!

At first technical issues were frustrating but the team were able to troubleshoot effectively. To be fair, one issue was me accidentally unplugging the device! Since then no issues. I have had no issues getting the rewards going forward either, so far so good.

Origin Pannel deserve a reward. I have earned £130 so far having installed the black box. It took a few months for me to access the rewards but that was only because they had a data transfer issue and managed to fix it. I have claimed £60 in Amazon vouchers so far and they have vouchers for Sainsburys, Argos, Nike, adidas and even Pizza Hut?! I love Pizza Hut salad so thank you again you can minister all the adds you want

Absolutely fed up I signed up in may and was promised £50 of points once I'm active. I went active in June emailed them as no points where allocated told they would be added in july, july came no points told they would be added in August so I have waited patiently and guess what no points, now they are passing me from pillar to post saying they've emailed rewards to add the points but rewards are telling me they've not heard anything.

Signed up on the promise of around £10-15 a month for data collected by their browser addons and mini PC connected to my internet router. Complete shambles, never worked, never got paid, and the most annoying thing, as a PC geek who likes to remove software I don't want, especially things that run in the background, it's pretty much impossible to get rid of their app. Had to search the registry and delete one of their entries, plus remove it from startup programs, as it doesn't have an entry in add/remove programs. Insidious piece of cr*p. Even now, I'm not sure if it's actually gone.

I have had their tv monitor for over a year now and tried to log in to get my rewards. Not a hope in hell of finding my account. I phoned them to be told someone would contact me, not a word in weeks. I emailed them and eventually someone got in touch asking for the device back but they could not find my account. No record of it or my home and email address. The rewards team did not know me as they needed an account panel number, I was never given one. Two more phone calls yesterday got me through to someone who was just as useless at KANTAR the company behind all this. After around ten minutes on the phone with no sign of an answer let alone a payment I just told them where to go with a four letter word followed by a three letter word and as for the device they want back, well look in the dustbin for it.

Impossible to contact, cannot load site, computer tells me site unsafe, what a load of CRAP!!!

The customer services lies over email and make it very difficult to get rid of their device. AVOID this company.

Ive been with Origin about 5 months now. They have great customer service and an easy set up, with an engineer to show you how it all works and do it for you.
The panel is easy to use when you turn on the TV and it's just a case of clicking an app when using your phone to confirm who is watching. The monthly rewards have been excellent for me. I struggle financially and and the rewards cover about £10-£20 of amazon vouchers a month. It been ideal covering present buying for all the birthday parties my 6 year old is invited to.
Had one issue with the display on the panel by the tv and an engineer was out the same week to replace it. Would recommend to anyone.