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LG denies TV spying claims, says tracking and snooping concerns 'not true'

tomshardware.com

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Re: LG denies TV spying claims, says tracking and snooping concerns 'not true'

#411

Post by thakoppno »

mitxela wrote: post #251
rpdillon wrote: post #18

LG's statement: > ACR uses audio fingerprinting technology using the TV’s internal audio processor (not a speaker) to identify content and does not collect screenshots, screen recordings, video recordings, voice recordings, or other audio recordings from the TV. So they are claiming that ACR is done entirely through audio processing, and no visual data from the screen itself is used? That...doesn't seem plausible. Th…

> So they are claiming that ACR is done entirely through audio processing, and no visual data from the screen itself is used? That...doesn't seem plausible. Wrong. They claim it doesn't record video. Recording means saving permanently - live processing is not recording. ACR is processing the video output live. Notice what they don't say at all. ACR is just one type of spying. A completely separate feature records wha…

> processing is not recording

Debatable and definitely semantic - at the very least this requires putting the audio into a buffer, so a newly mallocd block of memory. Sure, it’s not a recording in a conventional sense, but it is a copy of data.

Re: LG denies TV spying claims, says tracking and snooping concerns 'not true'

#412

Post by abenga »

allarm wrote: post #326
dgellow wrote: post #308

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To watch movies from a streaming service?

Use Apple TV for that.

I.e. spend more money to do things the TV can perfectly well do. We should make the spying illegal so we can use the devices we buy to their full potential without being sold to advertisers. "Give money to this other company that may or may not also be collecting data and may also sell you out in the future" is a suboptimal solution.

Re: LG denies TV spying claims, says tracking and snooping concerns 'not true'

#413

Post by tough »

cogman10 wrote: post #62
rpdillon wrote: post #18

LG's statement: > ACR uses audio fingerprinting technology using the TV’s internal audio processor (not a speaker) to identify content and does not collect screenshots, screen recordings, video recordings, voice recordings, or other audio recordings from the TV. So they are claiming that ACR is done entirely through audio processing, and no visual data from the screen itself is used? That...doesn't seem plausible. Th…

> So they are claiming that ACR is done entirely through audio processing, and no visual data from the screen itself is used? That...doesn't seem plausible. It's probably easier to do and every bit as accurate as just using a screenshot. And it's still exactly what I don't want them doing. There's literally zero reason for LG to be building an advertising profile on me because I was foolish enough to buy one of their…

> It's why youtube still hasn't figured out piracy Are you sure that's even on their roadmap. If they profit from piracy why would they care.

the whole DMCA/Takedown process is another shenanigan ripe for abuse. Not real copyright enforcement.

Re: LG denies TV spying claims, says tracking and snooping concerns 'not true'

#414

Post by qwytw »

tredre3 wrote: post #256
cassianoleal wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In any case, "We don't record continuously" is still recording. They should not be recording at all!

Enough with the knee jerk reactions. They have to record in some cases. You don't have to like those features, but plenty of people want those features. - The television has voice control. - The television has a manually triggered speech-to-text feature so you don't have to type with tv remote.

Find one person who when asked if you they want the useful feature of LG always recording everything they watch on their TVs and selling that data to third parties without giving anything in return would answer yes.

I get the voice commands but it shouldn't be possible for them to always record everything anyone in the vicinity says without explicitly activating the command (and it should be impossible to hack it, i.e. it should be implemented in hardware not buggy software)

Re: LG denies TV spying claims, says tracking and snooping concerns 'not true'

#416

Post by drnick1 »

rlpb wrote: post #350
ryandrake wrote: post #252

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To me, it's not even about why they're doing it (building an advertising profile). I don't want them doing it at all, for any reason. When I buy something from the store, my relationship is between me and the store, for the 30 seconds it takes for me to pay for it. I don't want an ongoing relationship with the device manufacturer. I don't want to be tethered in any way to the manufacturer. I don't want to have an acc…

> I don't want an ongoing relationship with the device manufacturer. I think it depends on the device. If I buy an iPhone, I have the expectation of installing apps on it after purchase, and that necessarily involves a relationship with the app store provider (ie. Apple), not the store I bought the phone from. With a TV, I suppose it depends on whether I want to install media apps like Prime Video or Netflix on it. I…

> I think it depends on the device. If I buy an iPhone, I have the expectation of installing apps on it after purchase, and that necessarily involves a relationship with the app store provider (ie. Apple)

I bought my Pixel from Google and don't want any relationship with Google whatsover. In fact, I wiped the stock OS and installed Graphene for this reason. My apps come from various sources, none of which is Google.

Re: LG denies TV spying claims, says tracking and snooping concerns 'not true'

#417

Post by drnick1 »

allarm wrote: post #326
dgellow wrote: post #308

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To watch movies from a streaming service?

Use Apple TV for that.

If you want true, verifiable privacy and control, it's not an Apple TV that you need. Any old laptop or desktop computer can be used to stream content from the Internet using a Web browser or other "apps."

Re: LG denies TV spying claims, says tracking and snooping concerns 'not true'

#418

Post by InsomniacL »

~"ACR is an OPT-IN feature"

If ACR is turned on when I install an app, and click 'next', 'next', 'open' then that is not an OPT-INT feature.

If I have to perform an action to not have ACR during normal use of the TV then that is OPT-OUT in my opinion.

Re: LG denies TV spying claims, says tracking and snooping concerns 'not true'

#419

Post by xaksnTMu2 »

Terr_ wrote: post #222

A quixotic legal dream: All consumer data-surveillance must take the form of an opt-in monthly payment plan, which either side can cancel. So the TV gets advertised as "$$$, but basically $$ if you sign up to be surveilled and get a $/month check back." If the company sets $/month too low--or is too creepy about what they collect--people just won't opt-in. But what happens if they promise big pay-backs but routinely…

> $$$, but basically $$ if you sign up to be surveilled and get a $/month check back.

Well, such thing has kinda appeared for mobile phone contracts. You can save and entire buck, if you agree for your data to be used for marketing purposes. Except, after accepting the deal, you still pay exactly the same monthly amount, as before they introduced that option.

Re: LG denies TV spying claims, says tracking and snooping concerns 'not true'

#420

Post by allarm »

abenga wrote: post #412
allarm wrote: post #326

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Use Apple TV for that.

I.e. spend more money to do things the TV can perfectly well do. We should make the spying illegal so we can use the devices we buy to their full potential without being sold to advertisers. "Give money to this other company that may or may not also be collecting data and may also sell you out in the future" is a suboptimal solution.

I don't think we can do anything substantial. So I'm going to just use this "suboptimal" solution.
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