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LG TVs' Integrated Ads Get More Personal With Tech That Analyzes Viewer Emotions (arstechnica.com) 122

Posted by BeauHD from the what-will-they-think-of-next dept.
LG is partnering with Zenapse to integrate AI-driven emotional intelligence into its smart TVs, enabling hyper-targeted ads based on viewers' psychological traits, emotions, and behaviors. Ars Technica reports: The upcoming advertising approach comes via a multi-year licensing deal with Zenapse, a company describing itself as a software-as-a-service marketing platform that can drive advertiser sales "with AI-powered emotional intelligence." LG will use Zenapse's technology to divide webOS users into hyper-specific market segments that are supposed to be more informative to advertisers. LG Ad Solutions, LG's advertising business, announced the partnership on Tuesday.

The technology will be used to inform ads shown on LG smart TVs' homescreens, free ad-supported TV (FAST) channels, and elsewhere throughout webOS, per StreamTV Insider. LG will also use Zenapse's tech to "expand new software development and go-to-market products," it said. LG didn't specify the duration of its licensing deal with Zenapse. Zenapse's platform for connected TVs (CTVs), ZenVision, is supposed to be able to interpret the types of emotions shown in the content someone is watching on TV, partially by using publicly available information about the show's or movie's script and plot, StreamTV Insider reported. ZenVision also analyzes viewer behavior, grouping viewers based on their consumption patterns, the publication noted. Under the new partnership, ZenVision can use data that LG has gathered from the automatic content recognition software in LG TVs.

With all this information, ZenVision will group LG TV viewers into highly specified market segments, such as "goal-driven achievers," "social connectors," or "emotionally engaged planners," an LG spokesperson told StreamTV Insider. Zenapse's website for ZenVision points to other potential market segments, including "digital adopters," "wellness seekers," "positive impact & environment," and "money matters." Companies paying to advertise on LG TVs can then target viewers based on the ZenVision-specified market segments and deliver an "emotionally intelligent ad," as Zenapse's website puts it.

LG TVs' Integrated Ads Get More Personal With Tech That Analyzes Viewer Emotions More | Reply

LG TVs' Integrated Ads Get More Personal With Tech That Analyzes Viewer Emotions

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  • Thanks for the warning (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Anne Thwacks ( 531696 ) on Thursday April 17, 2025 @03:04AM (#65312023)
    When we need a new TV, we know not to buy LG.
    • The OLEDs are the best tvs, hands down. Just don't hook them up to the internet. No connection, no hassle.

      • Re: Thanks for the warning (Score:4, Insightful)

        by fluffernutter ( 1411889 ) on Thursday April 17, 2025 @04:55AM (#65312153)
        I just want to be able to make out what's happening in the show. Pretty sure I can do that with most screens.

      • Re: (Score:1)

        by Anonymous Coward

        Philips
        Panasonic
        Sony
        Vizio (high end TVs)

        use LG OLED panels

      • Re: Thanks for the warning (Score:4, Insightful)

        by thegarbz ( 1787294 ) on Thursday April 17, 2025 @07:49AM (#65312285)

        The OLEDs are the best tvs, hands down. Just don't hook them up to the internet. No connection, no hassle.

        You're assuming that the TV won't simply autoconnect to your neighbour's ISP's guest wifi network. If you're concerned about this then simply "not" connecting something manually isn't the answer here.

        • This would be possible only if your neighbor was running an unsecured (no password required) network (which is stupid, but it happens).

          • Re: Thanks for the warning (Score:5, Interesting)

            by nugatory78 ( 971318 ) on Thursday April 17, 2025 @11:05AM (#65312687)
            Or they partner with comcast (in the USA) to use their open wifi access points all of their provided routers have. Every Comcast wifi/router/modem has an SSID "xfinitywifi" turned on by default and anyone who has an account can use that wifi.

            • Or they partner with comcast (in the USA) to use their open wifi access points all of their provided routers have. Every Comcast wifi/router/modem has an SSID "xfinitywifi" turned on by default and anyone who has an account can use that wifi.

              Keep your modem in a metal box and use bridged mode.

              • Re: (Score:3)

                by vux984 ( 928602 )

                Sure that works in rural montana, but most people live in the city, so the TV can just connect to the neighbors modem instead of yours.

                Or, wait for it, they partner with comcast and include a cellular modem right in the TV. Its getting cheap enough, and it doesn't to be all that good or all that fast.

                They won't let you stream netflix over that connection of course, you can provide your own network for that.

                But by selling/swapping your usage data that covers the bandwidth for a hundred MB a month of low prio

                • If it is that easy why wouldn't you just use your neighbor's modem for everything?

                  • Re: (Score:3)

                    by vux984 ( 928602 )

                    If it is that easy why wouldn't you just use your neighbor's modem for everything?

                    Some people do; especially singles living in condos or apartments; they get a comcast xfinity modile plan that gives them access to the xfinity public wifi being broadcast from the comcast cable subscribers modems in the neighboring suites, and just live on the free public wifi. It's not as fast or reliable as your own internet (but your phone has a data plan when you aren't in range of a free wifi), and you can only connect a couple devices to it at a time, so there are limits. But if all you've got is a

                    • I suppose if you are poor and can't afford anything better both the ad supported TV and using your neighbor's wifi could be a thing that is better than no thing. That would be pretty low rent stuff from an otherwise respectable name like LG. I think I did see a discussion of the idea here on /. some years ago, but from a company I don't remember, probably for good reason.

                    • I used to use the free xfinity from my neighbors when I moved and before I got a new net connection installed. The connection was really crappy but it was enough to check email and signup for net, utilities, etc... You have to rotate your mac address if you want to do anything meaningful with it without paying.

                      Next time I move, I'll probably borrow a hotspot from the local library or tether my PC to my cellphone (or my car's OnStar as a last resort).

              • Not fully effective, and the modem also overheats and drops the connection.

                I would cut the wifi antennas on my XB8, but they are built in to the chipset and can't be shipped.

                I did disable xfinitywifi. The gateway however continues to show interference on wifi scans, on hidden SSIDs.

                You can choose to use your own modem, but you then get to pay $30 more per month for unlimited data.

                Also, if you have a line issue, Comcast will blame your third party modem and won't fix the line for 6 months until you rent thei

          • This would be possible only if your neighbor was running an unsecured (no password required) network (which is stupid, but it happens).

            You misread my post. I said *ISP's guest* wifi network. It is getting very common now that routers have a private network for your home while also reporting a public unsecured network (isolated from your own) for the public to use.

        • Don't worry, eventually the ad revenue will subsidize a cellular modem in the device so they won't need your help to spy on you.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by antdude ( 79039 )

          No one has open wifis in my area.

          • Lucky you, in the meantime our local ISPs ships all modems with guest wifi enabled by default, so you find open wifi hotspots basically in the entire suburb.

      • Just don't hook them up to the internet. No connection, no hassle.

        Unless you want to watch anything streamed.

        Is this a US thing? I've never heard of a TV showing ads in this way, though some of the "suggestions" on my mam's Samsung are a little obnoxious.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by necro81 ( 917438 )

          Unless you want to watch anything streamed.

          The streaming capabilities on most "smart" TVs are rubbish, compared to a dedicated steaming device. I mean, an LG or what-have-you can put Netflix up on the screen, but the built-in UI is terrible. Even if ads and spy-tech weren't a concern, it'd still make sense to have a dedicated streaming device, if only to avoid a frustrating experience.

          • The UI for Netflix on my LG TV is not built-in by LG. It's a Netflix app by Netflix, and it's not terrible. Same goes for other streaming services. I've tried several streaming services on this TV and the only one that's terrible is Paramount, which is less than because of the UI and more because it often just craps out and shows a spinning circle (which is sometimes fixed by trying again, if not, usually by leaving and re-entering the app, but occasionally requires resetting the TV's clock, e.g. after a

          • Unless you want to watch anything streamed.

            The streaming capabilities on most "smart" TVs are rubbish, compared to a dedicated steaming device. I mean, an LG or what-have-you can put Netflix up on the screen, but the built-in UI is terrible. Even if ads and spy-tech weren't a concern, it'd still make sense to have a dedicated streaming device, if only to avoid a frustrating experience.

            I'd be surprised if you can find anything that supports DRM, which is necessary for many streaming services, that does not have ads and spy tech.

    • Re:Thanks for the warning (Score:5, Interesting)

      by AmiMoJo ( 196126 ) on Thursday April 17, 2025 @08:18AM (#65312333) Homepage Journal

      There aren't many other options, beyond specialist displays that don't make particularly good TVs.

      As it happens LG is actually one of the better ones, because if you simply decline all their licence agreements they work as a dumb TV. Some manufacturers don't let you use the TV until you agree, so you have to return it to the store if you don't like the TOS.

    • Well, we can still buy TVs with LG panels in them.

      that said, I'm disgusted by hardware manufacturers trying to be advertising platforms. I don't spend hundreds of dollars on something only to have it spy on me for advertisers. And this is going even farther still.

      • I dislike this too, but actually it makes your "hundreds of dollars" TV cheaper, not more expensive.

        If LG didn't put ads and crapware on their TVs, they'd cost a bit more (no idea how much, let's say 10%). Most people buy on price (within a certain bracket of features), so that would mean LG would sell far fewer TVs in that bracket. If they don't sell enough, then they don't make back the R&D for that model. It's a race to the bottom that no manufacturer can opt out of.

        What massively sucks is that you c

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Holi ( 250190 )

          R&D for the model? pretty sure most of LG's R&D for TVs is for the panel that is shared among many of their models, not to mention other manufacturers.

    • Re:Thanks for the warning (Score:4, Informative)

      by FictionPimp ( 712802 ) on Thursday April 17, 2025 @09:09AM (#65312453) Homepage

      My last TV was for my movie room. I thought about LG, but for the price bought the largest hisense on the market.

      The first thing that TV did when I turned it on was ask if I wanted GoogleTV or a Basic TV. I selected basic and all it is now is HDMI inputs and I couldn't be happier.

      Looks really good too and was half the price of LG.

  • Is it still my TV? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Visarga ( 1071662 ) on Thursday April 17, 2025 @03:08AM (#65312029)
    Why did I buy the damn thing if it will just show me what they want?

  • Sucks for them (Score:4, Funny)

    by paul_engr ( 6280294 ) on Thursday April 17, 2025 @03:32AM (#65312049)
    I dont plug my awesome LG tvs into the internet because fuck that shit.
    • Yeah, same here.
      It's not like I'm going to get adverts for bikes and boobs anyway!

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by mjwx ( 966435 )

      I dont plug my awesome LG tvs into the internet because fuck that shit.

      Don't worry, your awesome TV is looking around for some open wifi networks to connect to.

    • Oh, you own the TV but have merely a "license" for the software that runs the TV, and companies will soon require regular WiFi access to "verify" your "license" is legit...meanwhile they front load the next month's ads....

    • The corollary to this is that you're usually plugging in a set-top box that is just as bad, if it's a Roku or Fire Stick or whatever.

      I actually like the built-in LG UI/UX enough to use it, with all the advertising settings disabled that they'll let me access, and my firewall to hopefully block the rest, although in reality I'm sure they're still accruing a ton of data on me. This new AI thing is disconcerting, but hopefully just another switch I have to flip somewhere.

  • TV's That Watch Us (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Arzaboa ( 2804779 ) on Thursday April 17, 2025 @03:38AM (#65312057)

    It should be very suspect that a company tells anyone that they watch you for your benefit.

    --
    If the computer-guided robots turn out to be our superiors in every respect, then will they not find that they can run the world better without the need of us at all? Humanity itself will then have become obsolete. - Roger Penrose

  • Why do people tolerate this? (Score:3)

    by DrXym ( 126579 ) on Thursday April 17, 2025 @03:57AM (#65312071)

    Why would anyone want a TV that spies on them and chokes up its functionality with adverts with no way to disable this behaviour?

    I live in the EU and thankfully there is GDPR which puts a major dent in these scummy practices but even in the US presumably there should be a backlash against this BS? Do these companies truthfully describe the spyware in their systems? Do the major sellers (Best Buy / Walmart / Amazon etc) inform the user of it? Surely there is scope for a class action here?

    • The self esteem of many Americans is attached to the stuff they own. As long as they have a big tv then they feel good about themselves. They don't feel worse about themselves if the tv is spying on them.

      • The self esteem of many Americans is attached to the stuff they own. As long as they have a big tv then they feel good about themselves. They don't feel worse about themselves if the tv is spying on them.

        Kind of "The person who dies with the most toys wins", eh?

        I doubt most will even know about these shenanigans, even if it creeps most of us out in here.

        • But that's the whole point, that they are so focused on the new shiny they don't even bother to look for the downsides.
        • But Americans have the constitutional rights:
          • The right to be lied to
          • The right to very expensive speech
          • The right to be cheated when shopping
          • The right to a blow in the head with a blunt object
          • The right to remain dead

          --
          You are never alone with a dead parrot

  • High-demand market segment. (Score:4, Interesting)

    by geekmux ( 1040042 ) on Thursday April 17, 2025 @04:11AM (#65312087)

    ZenVision will group LG TV viewers into highly specified market segments, such as "goal-driven achievers," "social connectors," or "emotionally engaged planners,"

    Hey LG. Feel free to put me in your “Fuck Commercials” market segment.

    Better yet, just tag me as a non-LG customer. For life.

    Oh I’m goal-driven alright. My new goal is to find a TV maker that knows the difference between a customer and a victim.

    • Hey geekmux,

      We thank you for unknowingly buying our panels and giving us your money under the name of that other brand you thought had nothing to do with us. Good luck on future purchases which you will unknowingly continue to do with us.

      Sincerely
      The world's biggest manufacturer of TV panels regardless of brand name - LG Electronics.

  • No problem. (Score:3)

    by Petersko ( 564140 ) on Thursday April 17, 2025 @04:17AM (#65312097)

    I love my C8. But it's not connected to the network and I've turned off the smart functions. It's straight up dumb.

    So long as I can do that on a new one, I'll still consider an LG when the day comes. But that C8 still works perfectly and looks amazing... I'm guessing it's got a few years of life.yet.

    But... I'll be checking the manual of a new TV to make sure it can be lobotomized before I buy it.

  • Analyze this (Score:3)

    by gtall ( 79522 ) on Thursday April 17, 2025 @04:29AM (#65312111)

    Hey LG, what emotional state am I in now (holds up middle finger)?

    • Hey LG, what emotional state am I in now (holds up middle finger)?

      (Vegas Brothel Ad) “Come on down and ride the pink pony! We got BOGO Hump Day and all midgets are now 50% off!”

      (Never underestimate how low marketing will go. They invented the concept.)

    • Hey LG, what emotional state am I in now (holds up middle finger)?

      Pay attention to your ads you get now. Probably a lot of condom commercials.

    • That depends on whether the finger is yours and you want it re-attached, or someone else's and you want recipes for finger food.

    • You look angry, here's an ad for "Bobs gun shop" in your area.

  • Black electrician's tape.

    • Black electrician's tape.

      Wish it were that easy with cameras and microphones these days.

      That multi-array challenge upgraded itself from Did you cover it? to Did you even find them all? We need an iFixit teardown just to be halfway sure now.

    • Around the whole TV?

  • LG is partnering with Zenapse

    Initially read that as "Zenopause". That would be a much cooler name!

  • wondering how far this personalization will go.

  • With the advertising bubble deflating it isn't too surprising they're trying to hop on the AI hype train. As creepy as it would be if it worked, and it's bad they're trying, there's no way what their proposing will actually work in a way that makes anyone money. It's more selling pickaxes to goldrushers.
  • And can it be blocked without breaking other functionality?
  • I'm old enough to remember when "LG" goods were sold as Lucky Goldstar. They'd be "lucky" if I ever purchase any of their products ever again. I probably won't.
  • I think my current TV is my last. the enshittification process is almost complete. i can no longer connect my lg tv to the network, it seems to ignore my pi-hole. started using a pc as an entertainment center again like it's 2007
  • Is there any way to disable ads on LG TVs? I was really frustrated with my Samsung TV when it suddenly started showing ads in the Smart Hub. After I disabled the relevant setting in the configuration menu, the ads seemed to stop. I was actually considering switching back to LG for my next TV because Tizen has been so sluggish—but now, I'm reconsidering. Honestly, there's no version of ads that people enjoy. Does anyone actually like having their experience interrupted by ads—whether you're just

    • Glad to here Samsung allows it to be disabled. I'm in the market for a new TV and I loved my Samsung when I had it. I had an LG prior to that and, I was very much "whelmed."

  • I had a LG CX OLED. Now it have a B4 OLED model. All you have to do is turn off all the advertising BS. They spread it around in the menus but it isn't difficult to find it all and turn it off. We watch YouTube through the TV, but everything else is watched through the Plex client on the Google TV Streamer that is connected to the LG TV.
  • What happens if you cover up the TV's camera with a PostIt note. Will that work?

  • ... to slowly torture to death the individuals who come up with that, including their superiors who approve and market it, as a warning to others to stay away from that kind of "technology"? I experience a disconnect between what I perceive to be just and published law.

  • I actually like my circa-2010 LG TV (pre-ad-fest, doesn't even have networking), it still works but is used less each year since sitting at a smaller screen with the ability to block and skip ads is more important now than being at a big screen, at least for me.

    Any brands left that just sell a TV or monitor? No ethernet or wifi is a plus.

  • So... how will it react to my anger at being shown advertisements?

  • Ad's are a nice revenue stream and all that. People will give away their personal info to save a buck. It's been going on forever.

    But consider what political campaigns will do with this data! The ability to target individual households and apply pressure could be crafted into a horrible political tool, literally the telescreens right out of Orwell.

    T

  • I don't think I will be in the market again. it's not like this trend is going away.

  • For a price, we can tell you what your customers are getting off on. That bit with the North American Moose--they loved that. Here's what the numbers think of your missionary position scene--not much. More cowbell!

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