A few weeks ago, YouTube channel Gamers Nexus dropped an explosive two-hour video exposing just how extensive LG’s TV data collection has become. With ultra-sensitive microphones that are always listening and extensive user activity logs, your living room has become a data farm where you are the cash crop. And it’s not just LG; just about every major TV brand engages in some data collection either for sale to third-party advertisers or for internal marketing.
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But what exactly are they collecting, and what are they doing with it?
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In LG’s living room, you are the product
Manufacturers realized long ago that while a smart TV is a one-time sale, data collection can provide an ongoing profit stream. With the recent push for more integration, brands have even more resources for their data collection efforts.
Buried in the terms of service for your new TV is a notice that LG will collect and send data — including search terms, audio recordings, payment information, screenshots — to Alfonso, Inc. (also known as LG AdSolutions).
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On its website, LG AdSolutions reveals that there are 49 million LG smart TVs currently operating in the US and 216 million used around the globe. That’s a lot of data, which is used primarily to serve up a continually rotating carousel of targeted ads and media recommendations. Beneath the surface, however, is some fairly sophisticated code for tracking truly sensitive data, even utilizing your home Wi-Fi network to determine your location. And this method can be accurate to within 10 meters.
All of this information is stored locally on your TV’s hardware as a data log and sent to LG (or another brand) servers as data packets for storage and analysis.
What is the difference between a data log and a data packet?
While both a data log and packet contain user information, the difference lies in just how much each has. A data log is a record of everything you’ve done on your smart TV: logging into profiles, voice control activation, searches, app launches, and much more. This is stored locally on your TV’s hardware with date and time stamps, and is usually only used for diagnostic troubleshooting.
A data packet is more like a snapshot of what your smart TV is doing in that particular moment. It will not only include your IP address and profile information, but also screen image information, audio recordings, Wi-Fi network settings, and possibly even pinpoint-accurate geolocation data. This information is then sent to a central server for comparison against a larger database of information.
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Images and audio “fingerprints” are compared against full scenes from shows and movies to identify what you’re watching or listening to and then curate a list of suggested media (or personalized ads) the next time you switch on your screen. Data packets can be sent to servers as often as once every three seconds, giving brands like LG a veritable treasure trove of user information at any given moment that they can sell to third parties or use for internal marketing plans.
How long does your smart TV store user data logs?
The short answer: indefinitely.
Different data logs stored by your smart TV may have built-in expiration and deletion protocols that removes specific information every time you power down your screen or unplug it from the wall. However, there are a fair number of data logs that your TV can theoretically store for as long as the hardware is functional.
Usernames, email addresses, passwords, and payment information are some of the most tenacious, able to survive app removal, firmware updates, and power interruptions. These logs can only be permanently removed from your LG or other smart TV via a full factory reset, which makes it all the more important to fully reset your smart TV before you sell it secondhand, recycle, or trash it.
I would even suggest going so far as to physically destroy your smart TV’s internal electronics if you plan on recycling or trashing it so no particularly motivated ne’er-do-wells have the opportunity to scrape your data for sale on the deep web or their own personal shopping spree.
Can you use a data deletion service on a smart TV?
A data removal service like Incogni or DeleteMe is an excellent option if you’re trying to reduce your digital footprint or completely remove yourself from the internet. By doing all of the legwork for you, a data removal service makes it easy to hunt down old profiles and forgotten free trials that you may have used for your smart TV apps throughout the years.
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While you won’t be able to run a service directly through your TV, it’s possible to catch data associated with your general internet activity. If you want to be more proactive about keeping your browsing history and online activity more private, there are several VPN services that are designed to use on smart TVs as well as smartphones, tablets, and computers for whole-home protection.
How to factory reset your LG TV
Whether you’re tossing out or selling your TV, or just want a clean slate for better control over your data, factory resetting your LG TV is a fairly straightforward process:
Menu navigation
Open the Settings menu, then navigate to:
All Settings > General > System > Reset to initial settings > Reset all
Once you’ve confirmed your choice to fully reset your TV, the process will take a few minutes to fully delete data logs and return the operating system to its original state. After the TV has fully reset, it’s a good idea to take the time to make sure that all menu options for automatic content recognition (ACR) and HDMI CEC data tracking are toggled off to prevent your smart TV from collecting more data in the future.
If you want to go even further to protect your streaming and gaming activity from being tracked, you can pick up a few handy gadgets that block HDMI data from being sent from your devices to your TV without interrupting video and audio signals.