Palmer Luckey Says Smart TVs Pose 'Massive And Growing' Problem For American National Security: 'Users Have No Idea'

Last week, Palmer Luckey warned on X that smart TVs may pose a growing national security risk, saying that "unbelievable amounts" of sensitive data could be captured and sent abroad. 

Smart TVs And Hidden Data Collection Risks

"Nobody expects that their TV or monitor is a surveillance tool," he wrote, adding, "When I have joked that Smart TVs should be illegal, I am only half-joking."

This is a massive and growing problem for American national security. Unbelievable amounts of sensitive and classified information is captured, scraped, and sent back to foreign nations.

And users have no idea. Nobody expects that their TV or monitor is a surveillance tool.… https://t.co/Jf2rMEJrsy

— Palmer Luckey (@PalmerLuckey) April 18, 2026

His comments were accompanied by a thread explaining Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) — a technology embedded in many smart TVs that identifies what's playing on-screen, even from external devices like gaming consoles or laptops connected via HDMI.

Study Finds Frequent Data Transmission From TVs

The thread cited a 2024 peer-reviewed study by researchers from UC Davis, UCL and UC3M found that some TVs transmit data at striking intervals — roughly every 15 seconds for LG (NYSE:LPL) models and every minute for Samsung Electronics Co. (OTC:SSNLF).

Samsung and LG did not immediately respond to Benzinga's request for comments.

The analysis was based on captured network traffic, suggesting continuous monitoring of viewing habits.

Your smart TV is taking screenshots of your screen every 15 seconds.

Not a guess. Not a theory.

A peer-reviewed study by researchers at UC Davis, UCL, and UC3M tested it.

Samsung TVs: every minute.
LG TVs: every 15 seconds.

Even when you're just using it as a monitor.

Here's…

— Nav Toor (@heynavtoor) April 15, 2026

Ad Revenue Drives Tracking Concerns

ACR data is highly lucrative. Companies like Vizio (NYSE:VZIO) reported hundreds of millions in platform revenue tied to advertising, while LG Electronics has built a sizable ad business around similar practices.

Regulatory Scrutiny And User Protections

The data collection practices have drawn regulatory attention, including past fines and lawsuits.

While users can disable ACR in settings, experts warn updates may reset preferences — making disconnecting from Wi-Fi a more reliable safeguard.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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