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Along these lines, has anyone ripped the WiFi module out of their television? I'd gladly take a soldering iron to mine to ensure it won't phone home.

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It's not always that easy I think. My LG TV has a Bluetooth remote and I know for a fact that it has a single WiFi / Bluetooth connectivity module (because it crapped out on me recently). Removing the module would render the remote and the TV unusable.

There's probably still an external or PCB antenna. Wrapping it in aluminum foil should do the trick.

Connecting it to ground would be better.

If the aluminium foil is only around the antenna and/or connected to the antenna this might not be enough or might even improve the antenna.

If the wifi module is soldered on the main board then I think the best thing one can do is to break the lines near the antenna pins of the wifi chip and terminate it with a suitable resistor.

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