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

[t]http://imgur.com/g6WzfIFh.jpg[/t] [QUOTE]Earlier this month I discovered that my new LG Smart TV was displaying ads on the Smart landing screen. After some investigation, I found a rather creepy corporate video advertising their data collection practices to potential advertisers. In fact, there is an option in the system settings called "Collection of watching info:" which is set ON by default. This setting requires the user to scroll down to see it and, unlike most other settings, contains no "balloon help" to describe what it does. At this point, I decided to do some traffic analysis to see what was being sent. It turns out that viewing information appears to be being sent regardless of whether this option is set to On or Off. I think it's important to point out that the URL that the data is being POSTed to doesn't in fact exist, you can see this from the HTTP 404 response in the next response from LG's server after the ACK. So what does LG have to say about this? I approached them and asked them to comment on data collection, profiling of their customers, collection of usage information and mandatory embedded advertising on products that their customers had paid for. I haven't asked them about leaking of USB filenames due to the "deal with it" nature of the above response but I have no real expectation that their response would be any different.[/QUOTE] Source: [URL]http://doctorbeet.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/lg-smart-tvs-logging-usb-filenames-and.html[/URL] Looks like this guy found something we're going to hear about soon in the news. Hopefully when it happens it will deter LG from activating the collection servers.

Welp, so much for buying LG TVs

Right a day after I used one to watch Youtube videos. Nice timing, lads.

I too own an LG smart tv, I thought this was relatively common knowledge?

ive got an LG TV but i never use my USB on it i just have it connected to my computer to watch movies or to play console games a computer doesnt count as a USB right

[QUOTE=Javascript;42914031]I too own an LG smart tv, I thought this was relatively common knowledge?[/QUOTE] People have known about bugged smart TVs for decades now.

[QUOTE=Falubii;42914057]People have known about bugged smart TVs for decades now.[/QUOTE] This is completely new to me.

-snip-

This is why I name all of my playlist files and movies really weird shit like "amputee midget threesome", just in case some poor bastard NSA employee is going through my shit.

[QUOTE=Falubii;42914057]People have known about bugged smart TVs for decades now.[/QUOTE] how long have smart TVs been around?

[QUOTE=Mattk50;42914142]how long have smart TVs been around?[/QUOTE] Centuries

well shit, i'm unplugging my lg tv now

Now's the time to overreact.

Isn't it illegal to transmit that kind of data after permission has been rejected? I know it is for those bloatware programs a lot of the freeware programs have in their "express" installation.

[QUOTE=Javascript;42914098]This is why I name all of my playlist files and movies really weird shit like "amputee midget threesome", just in case some poor bastard NSA employee is going through my shit.[/QUOTE] I wonder what your family and friends think of you now

[QUOTE=Anthracite;42913955] Looks like this guy found something we're going to hear about soon in the news. Hopefully when it happens it will deter LG from activating the collection servers.[/QUOTE] Looks like you don't even need worry about that. Just block the domains they listed in the article on the router. Sure the domains could change in a future update, but its better than doing nothing.

[QUOTE=Demache;42914319]Looks like you don't even need worry about that. Just block the domains they listed in the article on the router. Sure the domains could change in a future update, but its better than doing nothing.[/QUOTE] I wonder what can be sent to the collection servers...

I bought one of samsungs 4K 'UHDTV' TV's recently. I hope they don't do the same, even though I rarely plug anything into it.

Wow. I guess no company can resist the allure of ad revenue. Seems like every machine that can connect to the internet is covered in ads now. Which of course isn't the main concern, I know; the main problem is how they secretly watch you and build a profile on you, but the goal is to show you ads.

Sort of relevant, I hate it when you watch something on PS3 and it comes up with a message saying 'sound has been muted by Cinavia'.. Don't get how it works as it doesn't do it on TV shows just films?

[QUOTE=xianlee;42915791]Sort of relevant, I hate it when you watch something on PS3 and it comes up with a message saying 'sound has been muted by Cinavia'.. Don't get how it works as it doesn't do it on TV shows just films?[/QUOTE] [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinavia[/url] Watermark in the audio of movies.

Just because it is sending back a 404 doesn't mean it isn't being collected.

lol why would you buy anything made by LG anyways [editline]19th November 2013[/editline] Seriously, if you're in the market for a smart TV (or for any kind of consumer electronics) there are at least 4 different other choices that are infinitely better than LG. If I'm correct, LG puts really shitty codec support on their TVs so you can't watch a lot of movies from an USB. For TVs, Sony all the way.

I always wondered WHY TV's were starting to get networking.

"The NSA already knows that I look at 80 year old gay porn who cares if LG knows too"

[QUOTE=redBadger;42915052]I bought one of samsungs 4K 'UHDTV' TV's recently. I hope they don't do the same, even though I rarely plug anything into it.[/QUOTE] I heard those tvs are awful. Lots of motion blur.

[QUOTE=Medevila;42917425]I'm happy to save a bunch of cash on a LG "dumb TV" my Chromecast provides more functionality than a "smart TV" anyway[/QUOTE] Like your Chromecast doesn't send anything to Google, the one of if not the biggest advertising corporations out there. If you want a 'smart tv' get a Raspberry PI or one of those Android Mini HDMI stick things from China (With custom ROM of course) and install XBMC or something similar.

[QUOTE=benbb;42917475]Like your Chromecast doesn't send anything to Google, the one of if not the biggest advertising corporations out there. [/QUOTE]It doesn't have to, google already knows what sort of midget porn you browse.

How can it even send the data back to LG unless you have it connected to the internet?

Good thing my Emerson box isn't a smart TV.