Yeah, I vaguely remember it from when it was originally reported on, and all the articles about it seem to be from 10 years ago.

Apparently the tech is still in use, but it's very niche. They can embed it into e.g. sports TV intended for broadcast in bars, and physically go to the bar with a phone app to check to see if they're using the expensive public broadcast version, or the cheaper home version and then fine the venue for non compliance.

In the UK, they just broadcast with a pint glass in the corner of the screen instead.

It kind of relies on the belief that phones are always listening, while the truth is much worse IMO. They don't need to. They're tracking enough about you already.

Please explain to me how my TV - which has never had nor will never have internet - play an advertisement embedded with ultrasonic sounds? The advertisement has to get loaded from somewhere at the start of this process, no?

Please help me understand your magical thinking

Watch local streams? I literally do not see advertisements. Ever, period.

My TV literally doesn’t know what a “commercial” nor “advertisement” is. But now I understand the confusion - thanks.