LG is preparing a firmware update to stop its televisions from overriding settings by sharing information about what you've been watching.
The company has conceded that some of its sets have failed to adhere to their settings by transmitting channel and broadcast data from your television to its servers even when you've told it not to.
It says that it uses the data to provide better recommendations and ads to LG Smart TV owners based on what they are watching.
Update: Whoops, LG got its own apology statement wrong. It now says, "The viewing information that LG collects has never been used for targeted advertising.
"LG does not, or has ever, engaged in targeted advertisement using information collected from LG Smart TV owners.
Original story continues:
LG said, "We have verified that even when this function is turned off by the viewers, it continues to transmit viewing information although the data is not retained by the server.
"A firmware update is being prepared for immediate rollout that will correct this problem on all affected LG Smart TVs so when this feature is disabled, no data will be transmitted."
USB woe
The internet-connected televisions were also accused of sending LG names of files you had stored on USB keys that you connected to your televisions which the company claims was intended to form part of a service that provides details on upcoming TV shows, although that still sounds a bit fishy to us.
Anyway, it'll never see the light of day now as LG has decided to remove the feature in the upcoming firmware update as well.
- Are we playing fast and loose with our privacy? Shouldn't we be out protesting with pitchforks?
