[kwlug-disc] Holy shit! LG TVs are a privacy nightmare!

[Jason]

I think LG is the worst and has the most visibility right now, especially
with the recent "driver/software install" actually being used to serve ads
- that's a Windows issue as well, but the public backlash was swift.

The whole "we own the glass" and "we own your living room" is pretty
dystopian and their attitude is horrible - and they're saying it out loud!

The scary thing is ALL Smart TVs collect and sell data on you - ACR is
basically a normalized standard at this point. LG is just getting all the
PR on it, and the Gamers Nexus video was great because they used exploits
to actually decrypt the traffic and see what it's capturing and storing...
which is even more disturbing.  Most Smart TVs won't let you use your own
SSL certs, or get that low level, so you can't actually see what it's
transmitting.

RTINGS has a couple of good articles and a video on this:
https://youtu.be/IvFu343KNek
https://www.rtings.com/tv/learn/research/smart-tv-data-privacy

I'm actually in the market for new TVs and I am excluding Samsung and LG on
principle. The TV will never connect to the internet, only be used for HDMI
to a Linux NUC to run all the software.
Some TVs like TCL have an Input option right on the remote, or you can
default it to the input as it powers on to skip the smart crap.  I'll be
looking at those first - happy to take suggestions.

Jason


On Tue, Sep 8, 2026 at 2:14 PM Doug Moen <doug at moens.org> wrote:

> All LG appliances are internet connected surveillance devices at this
> point. I refuse to allow the brand into our house now. AFAIK they haven't
> put cameras into their stove, washing machine or dryer yet, but they do
> sell fridges with cameras.
>
> The only connection permitted to our TV is via HDMI cable.
>
> You would think it would be safe to connect an LG computer monitor to a
> computer via HDMI cable, but LG has used this as another opportunity to
> inject malware (if you are running Windows, that is).
> https://x.com/wexosu/status/2078183359335874940
>
> On Tue, Sep 8, 2026, at 4:51 AM, Gary Walsh via kwlug-disc wrote:
>
> 216,000,000 Spy TVs | The LG Smart TV Problem
> https://youtu.be/6IFVTcM28KA
>
> --
> Gary Walsh
> Sent with Tuta, the secure & ad-free mailbox.
>
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