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LG Television sale of personal data: Difference between revisions

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|ArticleType=Product
|ArticleType=Product
|Type=Advertising, Opt-out, Privacy
|Type=Advertising, Opt-out, Privacy
|Description = Despite being priced at $3600+, The LG G3 OLED sells and monitors your activity on the device by default, and the opt out process is deliberately inconvinient.
|Description = Despite being priced at $3600+, The LG G3 OLED sells and monitors your activity on the device by default, and the opt out process is deliberately inconvenient.
}}
}}
[[File:LG G3 oled privacy settings.png|thumb|The LG G3 OLED defaults to a setting of "do not sell my personal information" being off, meaning it is configured to allow the sale of personal information by default.]]
[[File:LG G3 oled privacy settings.png|thumb|The LG G3 OLED defaults to a setting of "do not sell my personal information" being off, meaning it is configured to allow the sale of personal information by default.]]


The [[LG]] G3 OLED, a flagship television priced at $3,600+,<ref>{{Cite web |title=LG OLED evo G3 77 Inch Class 4K OLED TV 2023 |url=https://www.lg.com/us/tvs/lg-oled77g3pua-oled-4k-tv |website=LG}}</ref> is configured '''out of the box''' to collect and sell user data without explicit consumer consent.<ref name="the-markup">{{Cite web|url=https://themarkup.org/privacy/2023/12/12/your-smart-tv-knows-what-youre-watching|title=Your Smart TV Knows What You’re Watching|publisher=The Markup|author1=Mohamed Al Elew|author2=Gabriel Hongsdusit|language=en|format=article|date=12 Dec 2023|access-date=30 Jan 2025}}</ref> The TV gathers data on viewing habits and interactions, sharing this information with third-party advertisers.<ref name="consumer-reports">{{Cite web|url=https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics/privacy/how-to-turn-off-smart-tv-snooping-features-a4840102036|title=How to Turn Off Smart TV Snooping Features|publisher=Consumer Reports|author=James K. Willcox|date=11 Nov 2023|access-date=30 Jan 2025|language=en|format=article}}</ref> Users must manually disable tracking through multiple settings menus, a process that requires navigating through a series of privacy settings buried deep within the interface.<ref name="lg-caprivacy">{{Cite web|url=https://www.lg.com/us/caprivacy-detail|title=California Privacy Policy|publisher=LG Electronics US|access-date=30 Jan 2025|language=en|format=policy statement}}</ref>
The [[LG]] G3 OLED, a flagship television priced at $3,600+,<ref>{{Cite web |title=LG OLED evo G3 77 Inch Class 4K OLED TV 2023 |url=https://www.lg.com/us/tvs/lg-oled77g3pua-oled-4k-tv |website=LG |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260205111423/https://www.lg.com/us/tvs/lg-oled77g3pua-oled-4k-tv |archive-date=5 Feb 2026}}</ref> is configured '''out of the box''' to collect and sell user data without explicit consumer consent.<ref name="the-markup">{{Cite web|url=https://themarkup.org/privacy/2023/12/12/your-smart-tv-knows-what-youre-watching|title=Your Smart TV Knows What You’re Watching|publisher=The Markup|author1=Mohamed Al Elew|author2=Gabriel Hongsdusit|language=en|format=article|date=12 Dec 2023|access-date=30 Jan 2025 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260222101653/https://themarkup.org/privacy/2023/12/12/your-smart-tv-knows-what-youre-watching |archive-date=22 Feb 2026}}</ref> The TV gathers data on viewing habits and interactions, sharing this information with third-party advertisers.<ref name="consumer-reports">{{Cite web|url=https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics/privacy/how-to-turn-off-smart-tv-snooping-features-a4840102036|title=How to Turn Off Smart TV Snooping Features|publisher=Consumer Reports|author=James K. Willcox|date=11 Nov 2023|access-date=30 Jan 2025|language=en|format=article |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260216122219/https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics/privacy/how-to-turn-off-smart-tv-snooping-features-a4840102036/ |archive-date=16 Feb 2026}}</ref> Users must manually disable tracking through multiple settings menus, a process that requires navigating through a series of privacy settings buried deep within the interface.<ref name="lg-caprivacy">{{Cite web|url=https://www.lg.com/us/caprivacy-detail|title=California Privacy Policy|publisher=LG Electronics US|access-date=30 Jan 2025|language=en|format=policy statement |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250804164653/https://www.lg.com/us/caprivacy-detail |archive-date=4 Aug 2025}}</ref>


This practice violates the privacy rights of LG's customers:
This practice violates the privacy rights of LG's customers:
*It defaults users into data collection and sales instead of requiring opt-in consent.
*It defaults users into data collection and sales instead of requiring opt-in consent.
*The opt-out process requires multiple navigation steps and is deliberately obscure.<ref name="the-markup" />
*The opt-out process requires multiple navigation steps and is deliberately obscure.<ref name="the-markup" />
*It aligns with a broader industry trend of TV manufacturers monetizing user data as an additional revenue stream. For example, [[Vizio]] made more revenue from monetizing consumer data via Platform+ than from selling televisions in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://investors.vizio.com/news/news-details/2021/VIZIO-HOLDING-CORP.-Reports-Q3-2021-Financial-Results/default.aspx|title=Vizio Q3 2021 Financial Results|format=press release|publisher=VIZIO|access-date=30 Jan 2025|date=9 Nov 2021}}</ref>
*It aligns with a broader industry trend of TV manufacturers monetizing user data as an additional revenue stream. For example, [[Vizio]] made more revenue from monetizing consumer data via Platform+ than from selling televisions in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://investors.vizio.com/news/news-details/2021/VIZIO-HOLDING-CORP.-Reports-Q3-2021-Financial-Results/default.aspx|title=Vizio Q3 2021 Financial Results|format=press release|publisher=VIZIO|access-date=30 Jan 2025|date=9 Nov 2021 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251208204253/https://investors.vizio.com/news/news-details/2021/VIZIO-HOLDING-CORP.-Reports-Q3-2021-Financial-Results/default.aspx |archive-date=8 Dec 2025}}</ref>


==Data collection practices==
==Data collection practices==
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LG's data collection practices are part of a '''wider industry trend'''. Other major smart TV manufacturers engage in similar behaviors:
LG's data collection practices are part of a '''wider industry trend'''. Other major smart TV manufacturers engage in similar behaviors:
*[[Samsung]] – Uses "Viewing Information Services" to track content watched and target ads.<ref name="consumer-reports" />
*[[Samsung]] – Uses "Viewing Information Services" to track content watched and target ads.<ref name="consumer-reports" />
*[[Vizio]] – Previously fined by the FTC for collecting and selling user data without consumer consent.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2017/02/vizio-pay-22-million-ftc-state-new-jersey-settle-charges-it-collected-viewing-histories-consumers|title=FTC vs. Vizio, 2017|publisher=Federal Trade Commision (FTC)|language=en|format=press release|access-date=30 Jan 2025}}</ref>
*[[Vizio]] – Previously fined by the FTC for collecting and selling user data without consumer consent.<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 Feb 2017 |title=VIZIO to Pay $2.2 Million to FTC, State of New Jersey to Settle Charges It Collected Viewing Histories on 11 Million Smart Televisions without Users’ Consent |url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2017/02/vizio-pay-22-million-ftc-state-new-jersey-settle-charges-it-collected-viewing-histories-11-million |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260317153711/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2017/02/vizio-pay-22-million-ftc-state-new-jersey-settle-charges-it-collected-viewing-histories-11-million |archive-date=17 Mar 2026 |access-date= |website=FTC |publisher=Federal Trade Commision (FTC) |language=en |format=press release}}</ref>
*[[Roku]] – Default settings enable personalized ad tracking and data collection, making opt-out difficult.<ref name="the-markup" />
*[[Roku]] – Default settings enable personalized ad tracking and data collection, making opt-out difficult.<ref name="the-markup" />


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