LG smart TVs have come under renewed scrutiny over user privacy, with an investigation indicating that owning an Apple TV set-top box alone is not enough to safeguard your data. If you use an LG television, the recommended step is to unplug the Ethernet cable and instruct the set to forget your Wi-Fi credentials.
Smart televisions have long been associated with privacy problems. Over the years, repeated reports have highlighted how these devices can log the way you use them, as well as misuse sensors that are intended to monitor viewers rather than track behaviour.
What the investigation found
A September investigation by Gamers Nexus, published on YouTube, concluded that LG’s smart TVs continue to present significant privacy issues. According to the findings, the situation remains serious, with some models capable of eavesdropping on conversations taking place in the room.
The concern is that the Apple TV box, while offering its own approach to privacy, cannot override the data-collection behaviour built into the television itself. The set-top device handles streaming and app functions, but the underlying LG platform can still gather information independently.
How to reduce data collection
The most direct way to limit what an LG television can send is to disconnect it from the internet entirely. This means physically unplugging any Ethernet connection and removing saved Wi-Fi network details so the set cannot reconnect on its own.
By keeping the television offline and routing streaming through a separate device such as an Apple TV, viewers can retain access to apps and services while cutting off the pathway the TV would otherwise use to transmit usage data. The television’s smart features that rely on an internet connection will no longer function once it is disconnected.
Some LG models are reported to be capable of listening to conversations, underlining why severing the network link is presented as the practical measure for users concerned about privacy.
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Image: appleinsider.com
