Owners of LG smart TVs face an uncomfortable choice. According to reports from Notebookcheck and amplified by Gamers Nexus, LG's revised webOS terms of service link the reception of security updates to acceptance of AI voice recording clauses. Rejecting the terms means losing security patches, while accepting shifts legal liability for any recorded voices onto the owner. This dilemma raises deep questions about privacy and corporate transparency.
The clause that turns owners into legal guardians
At the heart of the new policy is section 6(d) of LG's terms, titled Voice Recognition and Privacy Compliance. The text states that it is the owner's sole responsibility to obtain necessary consents from third parties whose voices the product may capture. In practice, the customer must inform every family member and guest that their voice could be recorded and processed, and must comply with wiretapping, eavesdropping, and privacy laws. If someone objects, the remedy is to manually disable the microphone or voice features in the settings. This contractual obligation applies even to those who have owned an LG TV for years, with no room for negotiation.
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Three factors that make the situation critical
Three surrounding facts turn an odd clause into a genuine consumer problem. First, the AI voice services ship enabled by default, according to Privacy Guides. Owners are opted in before they are asked to manage anyone else's consent. Second, accepting the terms also permits LG to monitor product usage and share data with third parties, as reported by Notebookcheck. The consent obligations flow toward the customer, while data flows toward the company. Third, the exit is penalized: skipping webOS updates means losing security fixes. For an internet-connected device on a home network, this is not a neutral choice but a coercive one between privacy and cybersecurity.
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Comparison with other industry practices
This is not the first time tech companies have used security updates as leverage. For example, China recently banned AI virtual companions, showing how regulations can intervene to protect users. Similarly, incidents like the Russian-linked Elfsight code in a White House app highlight that software surveillance is a cross-cutting issue. For further reading, Privacy Guides offers independent data protection advice at privacyguides.org.
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LG's silence and potential repercussions
As of now, LG has not issued any public statement regarding the matter. The lack of transparency erodes consumer trust and may draw the attention of consumer protection and privacy authorities. Meanwhile, LG smart TV owners must choose: accept voice recording and legal liability, or forgo security updates. A choice no consumer should have to make.
Source: https://www.internationalcyberdigest.com/lg-ties-tv-security-updates-to-accepting-ai-voice-recording
