LG fumbles response to Smart TV spying revelation, withdraws Smart Ad video

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Jason Huntley
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@DoctorBeet

On his “DoctorBeet” blog, Jason Huntley made the headlines last week when he revealed that LG Smart TVs appeared to be mysteriously sending data back to the company about his TV viewing habits, and files on his attached USB stick.

Now he reveals the mixed messages that have come out from LG about precisely what its data collection was for, and how it conflicts with the company’s own corporate video.


LG Smart TVLast week, it was revealed that Smart TVs made by LG were transmitting details of viewing information and the names of private media files stored on removable USB volumes.

LG released a statement to the press on Thursday stating that they would release an update to all affected Smart TVs to prevent these data leaks and to ensure that viewing information will not be transmitted if the user knows how to opt out.

LG’s statement also concerned the use to which the viewing information is put.

Information such as channel, TV platform, broadcast source, etc. that is collected by certain LG Smart TVs is not personal but viewing information. This information is collected as part of the Smart TV platform to deliver more relevant advertisements and to offer recommendations to viewers based on what other LG Smart TV owners are watching.

Then on Friday, LG updated their privacy policy with a revised version of this statement.

Interestingly, it now retracts details of how viewing information is used, removing the claim that it was used to “deliver more relevant advertisements”.

LG does not, or has ever, engaged in targeted advertisement using information collected from LG Smart TV owners. Information such as channel, TV platform, broadcast source, etc. that is collected by certain LG Smart TVs is not personal but viewing information. This information is collected to offer recommendations to viewers based on what other LG Smart TV owners are watching.

The change in the official statement appears, to my eyes, to be something of a fumble.

As I reported in my original blog post on this issue, LG produced a rather creepy corporate video about how their data collection could help potential advertisers.

Unfortunately, since the privacy debacle unfolded, LG has taken down its Smart Ad website “for maintenance”.

LG Smart Ad website down for maintenance

However, as you can see in the following video from Graham Cluley, it hasn’t prevented the internet from digging out old copies of the corporate video, revealing what LG may have been planning.

LG fumbles response to Smart TV spying revelation, withdraws Smart Ad video | Graham Cluley

LG Smart Ad analyses users’ favourite programs, online behaviour, search keywords and other information to offer relevant ads to target audiences. For example, LG Smart Ad can feature sharp suits to men, or alluring cosmetics and fragrances to women.

So what do we know factually about this advertising and how it relates to data collection?

Very little as it turns out.

It’s impossible to prove with certainty that ad impressions are selected based on detailed lifestyle indicators (as LG’s own promotional video appeared to claim) or simply generated at random.

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It would be possible to obtain, via testing, a statistical confidence level of the extent of correlation between the ads served and viewing data but LGs platform is dynamic and subject to being updated at any time.

What I can recommend, however, is that LG Smart TV users check that their own TVs have disabled the option – if they feel as uncomfortable as I do with manufacturers snooping on what they’re watching.


Jason Huntley is an independent IT Consultant based in Hull, UK. Visit his blog at doctorbeet.blogspot.co.uk.

3 comments on “LG fumbles response to Smart TV spying revelation, withdraws Smart Ad video”

  1. David LaVeque

    Greetings,

    LG is at it again,check doc beets blog. This time they have added extortion to get what they want.

  2. founding father

    LG should be boycotted, and whoever came up with the idea should be charged with civil rights violations.. Sadly nothing will come of this as it has become commonplace.

    1. sheldon garner · in reply to founding father

      I am here reading this as I just experianced an LG upgrade. Once loaded, all features on my television were immediatlely disabled I couldnt even click on the netflix icon, without being redirected to the lg contract to sign. I paid for the tv with these features written right on the box and manual. Now they are taken away, effectively turning a 2700.00 tv into a boat anchor. I dont think LG owns Netflix. I pay seperately for netflix and others which are now blocked by LG until I sign the "NEW" contract. This new contract obviously forces me to give up information I am not comfortable with giving. How many people out there now spend a portion of their day just dealing with spam email and spam phone calls. I sure do. Every time I buy something online I average 8 new spam calls or emails. This new move by LG is the most blatant privacy extortion I have seen to date. If youuu want your tv back, you must sign the agreement, no opt out, no back button. Just a tv that is now a boat anchor until you sign.

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