MacVoices #26264: Live! – Smart TV Privacy, Copilot Frustrations, Star Trek’s Tech Legacy

Sep 24, 2026 | MacVoices Live!

A discussion of smart TV privacy examines reports of LG televisions collecting viewing data, whether TVs should ever be connected to the internet, and when firmware updates are worthwhile. The MacVoices Live! panel also considers hotel TV privacy, Microsoft’s increasingly pervasive Copilot strategy and organizational changes, and the enduring influence of Star Trek technology on real-world innovation.

The panel includes: Chuck Joiner, Marty Jencius, Eric Bolden, David Ginsburg, Web Bixby, Jeff Gamet, and Jim Rea.

This edition of MacVoices is brought to you by our Patreon supporters. Get access to the MacVoices Slack and MacVoices After Dark by joining in at Patreon.com/macvoices.

Show Notes:

Chapters:

00:29 LG Smart TVs and Privacy Concerns
01:13 Treating a Smart TV as a Dumb Display
02:02 Why Would a Television Need an Update?
02:43 Security Patches and Smart TV Software
03:04 Using Apple TV Instead of Built-In Apps
04:13 The Case for TV Firmware Updates
04:40 Sony and Samsung Firmware Experiences
05:35 Why Modern TVs Need Software Updates
06:12 TCL, Roku, and Mandatory Internet Connections
06:57 Updating Built-In Smart TV Apps
07:42 Privacy Concerns With Hotel Televisions
08:15 Collecting Data While TVs Are Off
09:13 LG’s History of Gathering Usage Data
10:13 Can Hotel TV Data Identify Guests?
12:33 Hotel TVs That Already Know Your Name
14:55 Microsoft’s AI-Inspired Organizational Changes
15:58 Copilot’s Increasing Presence Across Microsoft
16:27 Copilot Everywhere and Comparisons With Other AI
17:06 How Star Trek Helped Invent the Future
18:03 Communicators, Tricorders, PADDs, and Medical Technology

Links:

LG TVs caught spying even when offline or on standby
https://www.theverge.com/tech/991190/lg-tv-spying-standby-recording-wi-fi-scanning-gamers-nexus

Microsoft naming conventions are getting an AI makeover—and they sound very sci-fi
https://www.fastcompany.com/91601582/microsoft-org-chart-getting-ai-makeover-sounds-very-sci-fi

Guests:

Get detailed bios and contact information about for the panel on the MacVoices Live! Panel page on our web site:
https://macvoices.com/macvoiceslive/macvoices-live-panel/

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