LG’s webOS terms put TV privacy under scrutiny

LG is facing a privacy backlash over updated webOS terms that reportedly allow conversations near its televisions to be recorded and processed. According to TechRadar, the policy also places much of the responsibility for informing guests and complying with local laws on the television owner.

Users can refuse the new terms, but doing so may leave the TV on its existing webOS version and cut it off from future security updates. That creates an uncomfortable choice for owners of connected devices: accept broader voice-data provisions or keep receiving no new patches.

What changed in LG webOS

The dispute centers on LG’s voice features. The company describes collecting and analyzing user speech to develop AI tools and related services, but the wording is broad enough to leave unclear where convenience ends and data collection begins.

The responsibility assigned to owners has drawn particular criticism. Rather than clearly explaining what information is collected and how users can disable it, LG effectively expects the person who owns the television to warn everyone nearby. That is a difficult standard for a household device used by family members, guests and children—many of whom will never read the terms.

The update dilemma is equally significant. Modern TVs are connected to Wi-Fi, accounts, voice controls and applications, so remaining on an older software version can increase exposure to vulnerabilities over time. For users, declining a policy should not ordinarily mean giving up security fixes, but that is the choice the reported webOS terms appear to create.

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Why the issue extends beyond LG TVs

The controversy arrives as television makers search for additional revenue through home-screen advertising, recommendations, subscriptions and service storefronts. The global Smart TV market is growing alongside advertising and subscription models, increasing the incentive to turn the television into a continuing monetization platform.

LG has already faced irritation from part of its monitor audience. Gamers Nexus reported complaints involving built-in advertising, software prompts and efforts to make the display a platform for additional services. Against that background, even a legitimate voice feature can appear more intrusive when paired with broad language about speech processing.

The concern is not only ethical. It is also commercial and reputational. Samsung, Sony, TCL and other major manufacturers operate their own TV platforms, while past leaks, fines and disputes in different countries have made any new microphone-related policy especially sensitive.

The risk of turning TVs into data platforms

For owners, the problem is the sequence: televisions gain more functions, advertising and service layers accumulate, and then declining part of the package may also mean losing security support. Many people bought a smart screen for convenience, not to negotiate changing usage conditions.

Televisions can carry a higher privacy risk than smartphones because they remain in homes for years, are rarely replaced or reconfigured, and are often shared by everyone in the household. A microphone in the living room may capture more than deliberate commands, including an accidental conversation, a child’s voice or part of a guest’s dialogue.

LG is now particularly visible because the dispute concerns already-purchased hardware and its software updates, rather than a newly announced device. The question is whether the company will revise the wording so it no longer appears to shift responsibility onto customers. The source of the report is Kod.