LG Smart TVs logging USB filenames and viewing info to LG servers

[jsmithe]

DoctorBeet's Blog: LG Smart TVs logging USB filenames and viewing info to LG servers


Perhaps it's time to start investigating if my Sony is being talkative too. :sad:

 

[theironhorse]

that's not good.. there is no way the company can collect personal data without anyone's consent

 

[nitin88g]

That's really bad sign

 

[manniraj]

I need to check mine but at present because of change of the router I have not keyed in the new password on the TV. Will do so only after I follow the blog post to block the outgoing traffic on my TP-Link router as I have flashed the DD-WRT on it which allows to do the same.

 

[ranjeetrain]

That's downright disgusting. Sorry about the strong word, but I don't see how any company can justify that. Isn't it outright violation of privacy?

I am pretty darn sure it isn't lawful and every consumer who owns a set which forcibly collects data should move to court against it and force LG to recall these units.

In the meantime, the gentleman has suggested a neat way out (temporary measure that is likely to work for all LG models). But it involves blocking certain domains at the router level. Worth a try though.

Most useful part from the blog

So how can we prevent this from happening? I haven't read the T&Cs but one thing I am sure about is that I own my router and have absolute jurisdiction of any traffic that I allow to pass, so I have compiled an initial list of internet domains that you can block to stop spying and advertising on TVs that we, as customers have actually paid for.

ad.lgappstv.com
yumenetworks.com
smartclip.net
smartclip.com
llnwd.net
smartshare.lgtvsdp.com
ibis.lgappstv.com

This will free you from seeing ads plastered on your screen and having your viewing habits monitored, whilst it should still allow firmware updates to be applied.

 

[manniraj]

Also if you realize that when you download any APP on an Android phone before it is installed it will give you a pop-up message that it will read the contacts/videos/files etc., and gives an option of accept/reject. There was a blog post cautioning the users sometime back (let me try to find it) whereby the author questioned why is that a gaming app requires access to your contact and other personal data. Nobody bothers for this but invariably everything is being gathered by these companies for the target marketing or some other purpose. We should be aware of the same. The most astonishing is that when you say reject then the app will not install or does not work properly.

 

[rpm19050]

perfect recipe for a class action suit. as for us indians, blocking these url's , or better, rerouting them to a local url would probably be the only option.

 

[jsmithe]

The most astonishing is that when you say reject then the app will not install or does not work properly.

If you are on JellyBean or above you can enable, disable app permissions selectively, though not at the time of the app. install. The setting is hidden rather well, but there is an app. that brings this to the front https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ovmobile.appopslauncher

Be careful with this though. Some apps. may not work/work properly depending on what you turn off access to for the app. The plus side is that it is pretty easy to turn back the required access too.

Don't know if the app. will work on smart TV's though.