IdeaWell

Project ideas from Hacker News discussions.

LG denies TV spying claims, says tracking and snooping concerns 'not true'

Original Article

Hacker News Discussion

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

1. Dark patterns and misleading opt‑in/out language

“If the user needs to accept the viewing agreement to get through the initial setup, and agreement enables those features, then it's an opt-out feature, not an opt-in feature.” – al_borland

2. Distrust of corporate statements and lack of transparency

“The real issue here is they’ve been dishonest and less than candid with their customers. Trust broken, words out, and their statement doesn’t really do anything to mending that.” – jarym

3. Privacy invasion concerns (microphones, data harvesting)

“LG knowing what I’m watching is awful, but it seems even worse for LG to listen in to the conversation I have with my loved ones about it after.” – josephg

4. Workarounds and calls for regulation

“Easy solution. Do not connect your TV to the internet.” – illusive4080

🚀 Project Ideas

TVTelemetryBlocklist

Summary

  • A Pi‑hole‑style blocklist and dashboard specifically targeting known smart‑TV telemetry, ad, and analytics domains.
  • Provides one‑click enable/disable, logging, and alerts when a TV attempts to phone home.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Privacy‑conscious home users with LG, Samsung, Vizio, etc. smart TVs
Core Feature DNS‑level blocking of TV‑specific tracking domains + real‑time traffic visualisation
Tech Stack Docker, Pi‑hole core, Go/web UI, Prometheus/Grafana for stats
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • HN commenters repeatedly ask for ways to stop TVs from “phoning home” without disconnecting entirely; a dedicated blocklist solves this pain point.
  • Can be extended with community‑submitted domain lists, mirroring the success of Pi‑hole ad‑blocking lists.

DumbTV Firmware

Summary

  • Open‑source replacement firmware (based on Linux/Kodi) that turns a smart TV into a dumb display: HDMI input, basic settings, no network services, no telemetry.
  • Includes optional “media player” add‑on for local files only.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Enthusiasts who want to reuse existing TV hardware without spying
Core Feature Strip‑down OS that disables Wi‑Fi/BT, removes all OTA/cloud services, provides clean HDMI‑only UI
Tech Stack Buildroot/Yocto, Linux kernel, Kodi frontend, systemd services disabled
Difficulty High
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • Many users express desire for a “dumb TV” but find none commercially viable; flashing community firmware gives them that option.
  • Could revive older LG/Samsung models, reducing e‑waste and giving users full control.

TVPrivacyScanner

Summary

  • Network‑scanning utility that discovers smart TVs, captures and analyses their outbound traffic, and reports what data is being sent (e.g., ACR hashes, voice snippets).
  • Generates a privacy score and step‑by‑step opt‑out guide per model.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Privacy‑aware consumers, security researchers, gadget reviewers
Core Feature Passive sniffing (via ARP spoofing or mirror port) + fingerprinting of TV telemetry protocols
Tech Stack Python, Scapy/Pyshark, Zeek/Bro, Flask dashboard
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • Commenters lament the opacity of what data is actually transmitted; a scanner makes the invisible visible.
  • Provides concrete evidence for advocacy or personal remediation, matching the demand for transparency.

ConsentGuard

Summary

  • Local proxy/VPN that intercepts a TV’s HTTP(S) requests to manufacturer consent APIs and presents a clear, granular opt‑in/out UI before the request is sent.
  • Can auto‑decline known tracking endpoints while allowing essential services (e.g., firmware updates) if desired.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Users who must keep TV online for apps but want to avoid forced consent dark patterns
Core Feature Man‑in‑the‑middle consent mediation with persistent user preferences per domain
Tech Stack mitmproxy (Python), Go‑based TLS interceptor, Qt/Electron settings app
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Revenue-ready: $5 one‑time premium for advanced rules, free basic tier

Notes

  • HN discussion highlights that “agree‑to‑all” buttons are dark patterns; ConsentGuard gives users real choice without breaking TV functionality.
  • Offers a middle ground between total disconnect and blind acceptance.

TVKillSwitch

Summary

  • Smart plug with a physical button and schedule that cuts power to the TV’s Wi‑Fi/Bluetooth modules (via USB power cut or relay) while leaving HDMI/video untouched.
  • Can be programmed to disable networking during standby or overnight.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Non‑technical users who want a simple “air‑gap” button for their TV
Core Feature Hardware‑level network isolation controllable via button, timer, or Home Assistant
Tech Stack ESP32 firmware, relay module, optional MQTT integration
Difficulty Low
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • Several commenters wish for a hardware switch to disable spying; a kill‑switch provides that without opening the TV.
  • Easy to DIY, low cost, and addresses the “just unplug the Wi‑Fi” pain point.

LocalVoiceAssistant

Summary

  • Edge‑computing box that runs wake‑word detection and speech‑to‑text locally (using Vosk or Whisper) and translates intents into TV commands (HDMI‑CEC, IR, or network) without sending audio to the cloud.
  • Provides voice control privacy comparable to a smart speaker but keeps data on‑premises.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Users who like voice commands but distrust TV microphones sending data to manufacturers
Core Feature On‑device wake word + command execution, zero audio leaving LAN
Tech Stack Raspberry Pi 4, Vosk/Whisper, Node‑RED or Home Assistant for intent mapping, CEC‑utils
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • The thread debates whether voice processing is truly local; this solution guarantees it by moving processing off the TV.
  • Enables the convenience of voice control without the surveillance fear, addressing a core desire expressed by many commenters.

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