I can't help but think that some sort of regulation here is overdue. You shouldn't need above average technical literacy just to avoid buying a product that actively and intentionally harms you.

The current status quo actually stifles competition, because the only way to reasonably avoid these products is to limit yourself to an oligopoly of established (and expensive) brands. Between the two extremes of reputable and adware-subsidized devices, no-name manufacturers that just want to compete on price with shitty hardware and limited support/updates have no real shot.