Consumer advocates in Portugal are pushing the courts to launch an official investigation into LG smart TVs over potential privacy breaches. The legal challenge, brought forward by the organization Citizens Voice, targets concerns about what user data living-room displays are logging and where that telemetry ultimately travels. The advocacy group is calling for multiple smart TV models to be temporarily taken off sale while demanding software updates to better protect consumer privacy.
The Portuguese legal action follows a local technology report highlighting questions over LG webOS security vulnerabilities and offline audio storage tests. Citizens Voice wants judicial authorities to determine whether current data gathering practices violate consumer rights. If courts find violations, the organization wants enforcement actions taken not only against LG but also against hardware retailers distributing the affected television sets.
This scrutiny arrives amid broader industry concerns regarding Automatic Content Recognition and user tracking across modern connected displays. Independent academic research examining US smart TVs revealed that certain manufacturers continue transmitting tracking traffic even after users explicitly disable tracking features in the settings. Industry analysts note that television manufacturers will need to provide absolute transparency regarding data collection to avoid escalating legal battles with regulatory bodies and consumer watchdogs.
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