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Comment by dang | Hacker News Reader

Recent and related:

LG TVs caught spying even when offline or on standby - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49612329 - Sept 2026 (359 comments)

GamersNexus and LG: Or why rooting your TV is a bad idea - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49605424 - Sept 2026 (133 comments)

A Screensaver for LG's Spying Smart TVs - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49605356 - Sept 2026 (13 comments)

LG TVs aren't the only ones spying on you [video] - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49575176 - Sept 2026 (18 comments)

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From Nov 2013, but still related:

LG Smart TVs logging USB filenames and viewing info to LG servers https://doctorbeet.blogspot.com/2013/11/lg-smart-tvs-logging...

HackerNews discussion (178 comments): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6759426

Why would anyone connect their TV to the Internet? It’s been known for years that it spies, although maybe not to this extent. Or are these TVs auto connecting open WiFi or the neighbor’s Xfinity WiFi?

It's convenient and people 1. don't think it spies and 2. wouldn't care if it did.

So they can use Netflix or HBO apps and whanot.

The vast majority of consumers are not going to spend another $100-300 on a media player device like an Apple TV, Roku, or nVidia shield. They will use the built in app functionality.

And even those who don't - a very surprising to me number people use the "free channels" most TVs ship with. It's like the streaming version of broadcast OTA I guess for a certain consumer segment.

> Or are these TVs auto connecting open WiFi or the neighbor’s Xfinity WiFi?

Yup. How does that make you feel? Because for me, it was the moment when the border to not only blatantly, but also actively evil was passed.

Do you have any evidence of this? The video expose that kicked off this firestorm said that if you don't actively connect to the internet, then the system is largely inert.

And Steve says LG is full of shit. Thanks Steve. https://youtu.be/ToP9xfLDSME

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