Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

damnedifIknow

(3,183 posts)
Wed Nov 20, 2013, 01:18 PM Nov 2013

LG TV phones home with your viewing habits

Doctor Beet was alarmed to notice that his LG TV was showing him ads on its home screen; he investigated and discovered a hidden, undocumented setting to switch off collection of his viewing habits. Still suspicious, he monitored the packets flowing from his TV's network interface and discovered that even with the "data-collection off" setting engaged, the TV still phoned home with the name of every program it showed, as well as the filenames of every video he loaded over its USB interface. All of this data was sent in the clear to LG's servers."

When he contacted LG, they told him that "unfortunately" he had consented to this by clicking through the EULA, and advised him that it was something he had to take up with the store where he bought the set, because they should have told him about the spying before selling it to him. "

http://boingboing.net/2013/11/19/lg-tv-phones-home-with-your-vi.html

13 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

DJ13

(23,671 posts)
5. Never buy a TV with streaming services (Hulu, Netflix, etc) built in
Wed Nov 20, 2013, 02:01 PM
Nov 2013

You can do that with a Blu Ray player, or a Roku.

eggplant

(3,913 posts)
13. you missed my point
Wed Nov 20, 2013, 06:31 PM
Nov 2013

If your TV can phone home, then so can whatever streaming device you are using. If you can block one, you can block the other. I still wouldn't buy a TV that I *know* does this crap, but my point stands -- there is nothing preventing Roku (or any other streamer) from doing exactly the same thing.

DJ13

(23,671 posts)
12. The ability to know what users were doing was why
Wed Nov 20, 2013, 04:34 PM
Nov 2013

Microsoft originally conceived the new XBox One to need a constant internet connection to work.

The included Kinect camera was supposed to be a major revenue stream for them.

http://www.newstatesman.com/future-proof/2013/11/xbox-ones-always-camera-shows-subtle-ways-we-accept-being-watched

 

Egnever

(21,506 posts)
9. why?
Wed Nov 20, 2013, 04:10 PM
Nov 2013

I couldn't care less if lg knows what I watch....they don't cause I cut the cable long ago and my smart TV is just a huge monitor for my computer. If I did though I really just wouldn't care a bit.


What exactly do you envision happening to you with that info out there in the corporate worlds hands?

Or are you just afraid to be afraid?

AtheistCrusader

(33,982 posts)
6. So, what's the deal for the consumer here?
Wed Nov 20, 2013, 04:02 PM
Nov 2013

Store should have told him? Why is it doing it at all? Is the TV cheaper because it's subsidized by the ads?

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»LG TV phones home with yo...