TV makers answer privacy questions as researchers find data still sent after opt-outs
Several brands say their microphones listen only for a wake word, yet one study found Vizio data flowing after users opted out.
A reporter at The Verge sent 17 yes-or-no privacy questions to major TV and streaming device makers after LG faced accusations of spying through its sets. Amazon, Apple, Google, LG, Roku, Samsung and TCL responded in some form, while Hisense did not reply and Panasonic and Sony left the microphone question unanswered. Several firms said their microphones only activate on a wake word or a button press, and that users can switch them off. A recent Northeastern University study, however, found that Walmart's Vizio kept sending data after an opt-out, and that Samsung and Roku traffic was reduced but not fully stopped.
Why it matters
For viewers, the answers matter most where promises and measured behaviour diverge. Amazon, Apple, LG and Samsung describe microphones that stay idle until a wake word or opt-in, but a Northeastern University study found Walmart's Vizio kept sending data after an opt-out. That gap means a settings switch cannot be assumed to stop data collection, and people wanting certainty may need to check what their set actually transmits rather than rely on the stated policy.
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