Science & Tech · Cybersecurity · 1 hr ago
Portuguese consumer group asks courts to investigate LG TV privacy
Portugal's consumer group Citizens Voice wants courts to investigate LG smart TVs over possible privacy breaches.
The group says courts should review LG's response to findings about audio storage when TVs were offline and security weaknesses in its webOS software.
It is asking for some smart TVs to be removed from sale and others to be updated, and wants courts to decide whether LG and retailers breached consumers' rights.
LG denies an earlier allegation that it created 216,000 “spy TVs.”
A separate study tested 12 smart TV platforms in the United States and found that some privacy opt-outs did not stop apparent ACR data traffic, including on Samsung and Vizio sets.
ACR can track what is shown on a TV screen, though researchers said encrypted data meant they could not confirm what every transmission contained.
The Portuguese courts may now determine whether action is warranted, while the findings could draw attention from other TV makers and consumer advocates.
Portugal’s consumer association Citizens Voice is asking courts to investigate whether LG TVs breach consumers’ privacy rights.
The group wants multiple smart TV models taken off sale and others updated to better protect viewers’ privacy.
It is asking the courts to review LG’s statement against findings reported by Portuguese technology outlet TEK Notícias.
The investigation could also lead to action against retailers, according to Citizens Voice’s request.
- Who
- Citizens Voice, a consumer association in Portugal, is asking the courts to investigate LG TVs.
- What
- It wants a review of possible privacy breaches and is calling for some smart TVs to be taken off sale and others updated.
- When
- The report was published on November 6, 2026; an earlier report mentioned in the article appeared in September.
- Where
- Portugal.
- Why
- Citizens Voice says the courts should determine whether data collection by the TVs breaches consumers’ rights.
Citizens Voice
LG
Privacy allegations
Citizens Voice
Citizens Voice wants the courts to investigate whether LG TV data collection breaches consumers’ rights.
LG
LG denies the September report’s allegation that it created “216,000 spy TVs.
LG’s response
Citizens Voice
Citizens Voice says LG’s statement did not directly address reported tests involving audio storage while TVs were offline or named webOS security vulnerabilities.
LG
The article does not state LG’s response to those specific findings.
A report accused LG of creating “216,000 spy TVs”; LG denied the allegation.
TechRadar reported that Citizens Voice was asking Portuguese courts to investigate LG TVs.
- Consumer group
- Citizens Voice
- Country
- Portugal
- Company under scrutiny
- LG
- Earlier report
- Published in September
- TV operating system named
- webOS
What people are saying
216,000 spy TVs