LG is investigating allegations that certain Smart TVs in its product range are sending programme information back to manufacturers, despite users activating a privacy setting.
The investigation comes after a blog by a UK-based IT consultant documented how his LG Smart TV was displaying adverts on the Smart landing screen.
Upon further investigation, he found that programme information was being sent back unencrypted to LG every time he changed channel – even after turning the ‘collect viewing information’ option off.
Consultant Jason Huntley then contacted LG, who advised that as users accepted the Terms and Conditions of their TVs, concerns would be best directed to the retailer, and that LG are “unable to pass comment on their actions.”
However, LG told the BBC that it is looking into the allegations about sharing information without consent.
“Customer privacy is a top priority at LG Electronics and as such, we take the issue very seriously,” said a spokesman.
If the allegations are found to be true, it could mean that LG has broken the law.
With the NSA and GCHQ scandal still dominating headlines, the way personal data is used has shifted public perceptions with consumer groups warning of a loss of trust as people begin to learn more about the ‘data economy’.
Earlier this year, Gerd Leonhard, futurist, author and CEO of The Futures Agency said that data has now become the new currency of the world.
“The data economy will be bigger than the oil economy,” he said, warning that we are also witnessing severe “data greed”.
“Everyone wants it,” he said, especially advertisers. “Yet abuse is not a sustainable business model,” noting that $35 billion will be removed from the US economy because of the NSA scandal.
“Now we need permission to connect. We need trust, honesty and transparency. We need a marriage of trust and technology and without that businesses will begin to break.”.
