// ZDNET — MOBILE & WEB
Your LG TV is constantly collecting your data – here’s how to stop it
Factory resetting your LG TV is the only way to remove certain data logs from its hardware.
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?
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.
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.