LG to ban residential proxies from smart TV apps (krebsonsecurity.com)

Article summary

LG Electronics USA has announced that it will suspend any apps on its smart TVs that turn the device into an always-on residential proxy node, following research that found over 42% of games and apps on LG's webOS store allowed unknown third-parties to route their internet traffic through a user's TV. The move aims to address concerns over data harvesting and user privacy. LG will work with app developers to remove the residential proxy option from their apps, and those that fail to comply will have their apps suspended. This decision comes after LG faced criticism for its handling of user data and security.

Main themes

• Residential proxy networks
• Smart TV security
• Data harvesting
• User privacy
• App development
• Corporate responsibility

What commenters say

• The practice of bundling residential proxy functionality with unrelated apps is inherently shady and should be abolished.
• Some commenters argue that residential proxies can be useful for legitimate purposes, such as accessing geoblocked content, but others disagree.
• Allowing strangers to use one's internet connection for unknown purposes is a security risk and a potential liability for the user.
• ISPs should crack down on users whose systems are participating in malicious botnets, but this would require significant investment in personnel and resources.
• The decision to share one's internet connection with others should be a personal choice, but it should not be done without informed consent and proper disclosure.
• Residential proxy services can be used for legitimate business needs, but they can also be used for malicious activities such as bot spam and social media manipulation.
• Some argue that ISPs have the right to restrict commercial use of their services, including reselling bandwidth, as outlined in their terms of service.
• Others believe that users should be able to resell a portion of their bandwidth if they choose to do so, as long as it does not harm others.