LG to alert smart TV users of data collection following Texas privacy settlement
AUSTIN, Texas - Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a settlement with LG Electronics U.S.A., Inc. that he says will curb the collection of Texans’ television viewing data without their consent.
The settlement partially resolves part of a broader lawsuit targeting major TV manufacturers.
LG smart TV privacy settlement details
Photographer: Cole Burston/Bloomberg via Getty Images
What we know:
Under the agreement, LG will stop using Automated Content Recognition, or ACR, technology to gather users’ viewing information without informed consent.
The company must also update its smart TVs to include a pop-up disclosure explaining how viewing data may be collected and used, and provide consumers with a clear option to opt out. The disclosure will also be posted on LG’s website, according to the attorney general’s office.
Protecting Texas consumers
Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images
What they're saying:
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton details that the settlement further prohibits the transfer of viewing data to the Chinese Communist Party, a provision Paxton emphasized when announcing the agreement.
"LG has now taken important steps to ensure that users’ viewing data will not be collected without their informed consent and that consumers maintain their fundamental right to privacy in their own homes," Paxton said in a statement.
The backstory:
The settlement stems from a lawsuit Paxton filed in December 2025 against five television manufacturers, accusing them of "spying on Texans" through ACR software.
Texas lawsuit says 5 TV companies are 'spying' with content recognition tech
In the most basic terms, ACR technology sees and hears what you're watching so it can get an idea of your taste in content, and then recommend things you might like based on what you've seen.
The technology can identify audio and visual content on a television to recommend programming, but Paxton has described it as an "uninvited, invisible digital invader" when used without permission.
Is your TV spying on you?
Woman watches television while eating popcorn. (Credit: Photo by Ercin Top/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Dig deeper:
ACR technology is typically designed as an opt-in feature, allowing users to agree to data collection, though it can often be disabled in a device’s settings.
Paxton has raised concerns about potential data sharing with foreign governments, particularly noting that Hisense and TCL are based in China. He has argued that such connections could expose Texans’ data to misuse.
What's next:
The agreement with LG follows a similar settlement previously reached with Samsung. Lawsuits against several other television manufacturing companies remain active.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by the Texas Attorney General's Office.