LG selling Web OS data to third parties

mpc on 01/02/2025 - 15:21

https://www.channelnews.com.au/lg-admit-they-are-raking-in-m…

It's largely about Aus market but I doubt it'll be any different for NZ except they don't yet sell appliances direct to consumers in NZ. They're earning a huge amount from selling data.

https://www.channelnews.com.au/lg-confirms-losses-despite-bi…

The Companies webOS-based advertising and content business generated $1.2 billion in annual revenues with most owners of an LG TV not realising that information on the TV shows they watch, which news services they favour are being sold to third parties including political parties.

https://www.channelnews.com.au/tech-media-lower-ratings-on-l…

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Comments

  • Alan6984 on 01/02/2025 - 16:57

    Based on what was doing the rounds some years ago, I had thought that all (or almost all) SmartTVs collected data like that, and sent it 'home' for collation and on-sale?

    There might be manufacturers that explicitly state they don't, but I haven't personally noticed any that do.

  • Dunno on 01/02/2025 - 17:09

    Basically all the TV brands do this, it's too much money to pass up for them.

  • Everettpsycho on 01/02/2025 - 18:42
    +1

    No surprises at all, they all do it, it's why you rarely find dumb TVs anymore. It'll be in the EULA but who reads those.

  • amcheapdude on 02/02/2025 - 10:24

    All the smart tvs grab so much data but my LG tvs have been quite offensively bad. I use network level comms blocking for the ad servers / 'phone home' events but then they even stop some tV functionality drops off as well as ability to update. Most of the apps are pretty bad tok bur you probably already knew that. Many cheapies will be self hosting Plex media server which is related to this topic, might wanna check what Plex do with your data even though you host it yourself! Jellyfin is a free alternative.

    As far as not so crappy smart tv, Phillips is very mild. You can disable most of the phone home stuff (though tbh it should be opt in default, not opt out) but since it's android, the google app store is still doing collection .

  • LupinS on 02/02/2025 - 19:12
    +1

    LG has major quality control issues as well with their backlights (fade/turn blue/die). And you can't install many apps (like Kodi and similar) because they don't have the processing power to run them even if you could sideload them.

    I have no idea why everyone seems to think they are good.

    Remote sucks too!

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