Do Smart TVs Listen In? How Private Is Your Living Room Really?

Smart TVs have become a standard part of modern living rooms. But new research from the University of Amsterdam shows these devices do far more than just stream content.

They collect viewing behavior, send data to manufacturers and advertisers, and some models can even listen to conversations in your home.

What manufacturers actually collect

According to research by professor of Information Law Natali Helberger, users are barely informed about the amount of data smart TVs collect.

• Viewing preferences and app usage
• Advertising IDs linked to your profile
• Microphone data on TVs with voice control
• Network data like IP address and connected devices

Much of this data is shared with external parties — often without clear or informed consent.

Listening in your living room

Smart TVs with voice control use microphones that constantly listen for a “wake word.” In practice, recordings can sometimes include more audio than expected.

Not always malicious — sometimes just poor software design — but the risk remains:

Why this raises legal concerns

Researchers Natali Helberger and Kristina Irion argue that stronger European regulation is needed. Current consent mechanisms are often:

• Unclear or misleading
• Too broad in data collection
• Designed for commercial data sharing
• Difficult to refuse without losing functionality

This conflicts with GDPR principles, which require transparency and minimal data collection.

Why smart TVs are becoming a bigger risk

Modern TVs are essentially small computers connected to your network. They run apps, connect to advertising networks, and constantly communicate with external servers.

• They rarely receive long-term security updates
• They communicate with dozens of external services
• They are often poorly isolated within your network
• They can act as an entry point for tracking or attacks

How you can protect yourself

Fortunately, you can take back control. The most effective approach combines three layers:

• Disable tracking and voice control in your TV settings
• Place IoT devices on a separate network (guest network or VLAN)
• Use network-wide blocking for ads and tracking domains

That last step is often overlooked — but it’s one of the most powerful.

Why Pi-hole is a game changer

Pi-hole acts as a protective layer between your devices and the internet. It blocks:

• Advertising domains
• Tracking servers
• Smart TV telemetry
• Unwanted data traffic from IoT devices

Because it works at the network level, you don’t need to install anything on your TV itself.

Want to understand how IoT devices behave on shared networks — and how Pi-hole protects you? Read my in-depth guide:

👉 Is your device safe on a shared network full of IoT devices?

The real question: how private do you want your home to be?

Your living room feels like a safe space. But with smart TVs, speakers, and IoT devices, that assumption is changing.

Privacy is no longer the default — it’s something you actively have to configure.