Unlike many people, this customer actually took the time to read the entire privacy policy agreement, and he noted that in agreeing to the new policy, he was also agreeing to share his channel-viewing data, search data, and other personal information with LG and its advertisers. He declined the new privacy policy.
What happened next? From Consumer Reports’ blog, Consumerist:
…when he told the TV that he didn’t agree with the privacy policy, LG had some news for him. He didn’t want to share information with them? Fine: they wouldn’t share any information with him. By “information,” we mean “any of the features that are the entire point of having a smart TV.”
“If we make a material change to our Privacy Policy, we will update you via your LG Smart TV or other means. If you do not consent to the updated privacy policy, some SmartTV services may be restricted,” it spells out helpfully. What’s important to LG is retaining the right to mine your viewing habits (even what you watch on cable or broadcast TV) in order to serve more relevant advertising to you within the smart TV software.
The key question is this: can a company “change the goalposts at will,” as the tipster put it, and yank features of a TV hostage if users don’t agree to new terms and conditions? If the new privacy policy is radically different from the one you agreed to when first purchasing the TV, consumers might have a case.
The consumer states “Because I will not agree to LG’s Privacy Policy… I can now no longer access/use any of of the TV’s network based programs.”
I think this “policy” is ridiculous and incredibly invasive — companies should not be allowed to turn your television into a brick if you refuse to share personal data with the manufacturer, especially two years after you bought the TV! But this isn’t the first time LG has collected data on its television viewers without their permission either.
mickeyd says
Wow – that in and of itself will make me never, ever purchase an LG product. If I’me buying a television, it is for it to transmit programs – not to be monitored by ‘big brother’. I’m disgusted by this.