- Published 2026.11.10 17:59
Local civic group asks court for judicial investigation over consent violation
ACR opt-out feature called useless; controversy may spread across industry
A Portuguese civic group has filed a request with a local court for a formal investigation into allegations that LG Electronics smart TVs collected viewing data without user consent. As the effectiveness of consent procedures for behavioral data collection on smart devices comes under scrutiny, the case could escalate into a broader privacy controversy across the smart TV market.
According to TechRadar, a technology news outlet, on Nov. 8 (local time), Citizens Voice, a Portuguese consumer group, asked the court to investigate LG Electronics for allegedly collecting viewing data without sufficient user consent. The case is still in its early stages and has not yet been heard by the court, but its impact could grow depending on the judges' decision.
The key issue is automatic content recognition (ACR) technology built into smart TVs. ACR analyzes pixels and audio signals of on-screen content in real time to identify programs, movies, and advertisements being watched. Manufacturers use this data to recommend personalized content and deliver targeted ads.
Smart TV makers are focusing on ACR because of changes in their revenue structure. As hardware competition intensifies, margins on devices have narrowed, while profitability of targeted advertising and streaming services based on viewing data continues to rise. This is why ACR data, which reveals viewers' habits and preferences, has become a valuable asset.
The court filing is an extension of earlier privacy concerns. In September 2026, LG Electronics was accused of storing voice data even when offline and neglecting security vulnerabilities across more than 216,000 smart TVs. The company denied the allegations at the time, but Citizens Voice reportedly found the company's explanation insufficient and decided to take legal action.
The controversy over unauthorized viewing data collection is not limited to one company. A recent study found that even when users opt out of ACR data collection in smart TV settings, data transmission continues. In Samsung Electronics' own streaming service, ACR-related traffic was detected 30 consecutive times regardless of the user's opt-out setting, according to the study.
When a device ignores a user's opt-out choice and continues transmitting data, it seriously undermines trust. Critics say that privacy settings shown on screen do not actually work, making consent procedures on connected devices exist only on paper.
From a behavioral economics perspective, a major problem is that users often do not read default settings or complex consent screens carefully. Default settings have a much greater influence on outcomes than users' actual preferences. Experts argue that manufacturers should verify whether data flows are actually blocked when users decline to share information and clearly disclose the results.
Citizens Voice plans to demand action against manufacturers as well as retailers if the court investigation confirms consumer rights violations in the data collection process. As regulators and consumer groups begin to scrutinize behavioral data collection on devices more strictly, pressure on smart device makers to improve transparency is expected to intensify.
※ This article is an AI translation of the Korean original published by Korea Credit News; it was checked by automated quality guards and published by the English edition desk.
