New Smart TV Setup: Getting the Privacy Settings Right

The names differ by manufacturer and operating system, but the prompts themselves are similar. They usually begin with terms of use and privacy notices that you must accept for the device to unlock its internet functions. Individual consents follow, which are usually optional. Some only appear later: consents, for example for a voice assistant, can also be requested only when the function is first used (Bundeskartellamt 2020). Six typical switches at a glance:

Many devices assign an advertising identifier. According to the Federal Cartel Office report, the main purpose of such identifiers is to link data on user behavior from different applications and website visits into a comprehensive profile (Bundeskartellamt 2020). In the settings you will usually find two things: a switch for personalized or interest-based advertising and a button to reset the identifier. Switch off the first and use the second. You will still see ad tiles afterwards, but they should no longer be tailored to a profile of your viewing.

Many remotes have a built-in microphone. The BSI, Germany's Federal Office for Information Security, describes the path of a voice command: the remote records it, the TV forwards it over the internet to a server, and the server translates it into a command for the device (BSI). If you do not search by voice, switch voice control off. The BSI explicitly lists a built-in webcam, the microphone for voice control and remote access functions among the features that can be deactivated if they are not needed (BSI). If you want to use voice control deliberately, see the article voice assistants for seniors.

Legally, two rules stand behind many of these switches. Storing information on the device and accessing information already stored there are only permitted if you have consented on the basis of clear and comprehensive information (Section 25(1) TDDDG). Exempt is what is strictly necessary for a digital service you have explicitly requested to work (Section 25(2) TDDDG). For personal data processed on the basis of consent, the General Data Protection Regulation also applies: you can withdraw your consent at any time, and withdrawing must be as easy as giving it (Art. 7(3) GDPR).

In practice, this means: whatever the TV asks as a consent, you can usually decline without losing picture and sound. The Federal Cartel Office recommends making use of the option to refuse consents; if you really need them, they can still be given later (Bundeskartellamt 2020). The terms of use of the operating system are a different matter. In the authority's experiment, the initial setup could only be completed if the test subjects accepted the terms of use and privacy policy of the operating system provider (Bundeskartellamt 2020). Some devices offer to skip the smart functions entirely; the TV then remains a receiver for cable, satellite or antenna. For households that only watch scheduled programs, this can be a deliberate choice.

How long a model receives updates is therefore part of the buying decision, especially with sale offers on previous-year models. When buying older models, active product support from the manufacturer may no longer be available at all or only for a short period (Bundeskartellamt 2020). For TVs as electronic displays, the EU requires the product information sheet to state the minimum availability of software and firmware updates (Regulation (EU) 2019/2021). You can reach the sheet via the QR code on the energy label. The same regulation requires the latest available security update to the firmware to remain available free of charge for at least eight years after the last unit of a model has been placed on the market (Regulation (EU) 2019/2021). This is not a promise that new updates will appear for eight years: what is regulated is that the most recent version remains available.

Sales law also helps. For goods with digital elements, the updates needed to keep the goods in conformity must be provided to you for the period you can expect given the type and purpose of the goods, and you must be informed about them (Section 475b(4) BGB, German Civil Code). If you do not install an update provided within a reasonable period, the seller is, under the conditions of Section 475b(5) BGB, not liable for a defect caused solely by the missing update. That is another reason to keep automatic updates switched on. The deadlines for withdrawal and warranty when buying devices are covered in the article gifting technology, and how to recognize reputable retailers during the sales week in the article spot fake shops.

Stricter rules are still to come. The EU Cyber Resilience Act requires manufacturers to provide a support period of at least five years unless the product is expected to be in use for a shorter time (Regulation (EU) 2024/2847). However, it largely only applies from December 11, 2027 (Regulation (EU) 2024/2847), and devices placed on the market before then are, as a rule, only subject to its requirements if they are substantially modified afterwards (Regulation (EU) 2024/2847). For a TV bought in the 2026 sales week, what counts above all is what the product information sheet and the manufacturer's statements say.

Not everyone buys a smart TV for the apps. Among people aged 65 and over, traditional TV is still ahead of video streaming at 94 percent versus 68 percent (Bitkom). Across all age groups from 16 up, 81 percent watch current TV programs via cable, satellite or antenna at least now and then (Bitkom). If you mainly watch scheduled programs, you can decline generously during setup: content recognition, the advertising ID, usage data and the microphone then offer little benefit. Keep the on-demand apps you really use and delete the rest.

For parents or grandparents who find many prompts overwhelming, a simple home screen often helps more than any extra function: few tiles, favorite channels first, no preview videos that start automatically. If the TV is to run without internet at all, updates usually stop as well; it should then really stay offline and not just be connected now and then. What else we set up for older people is described on the page tech help for seniors.

Set once does not mean set forever. The BSI recommends reviewing privacy settings critically and adapting them regularly to your own needs (BSI). Good occasions are every major software update, after which new functions or new prompts may appear, and every newly installed app. Take a look at the privacy and advertising settings and compare them with your notes from the initial setup.

The BSI also lists observations that can indicate a compromised device (BSI):

If you notice anything like this, reset the TV to factory settings, install the current update, change the password of the manufacturer account and set up the device again. A device can be compromised even without these signs; however, the protective measures described reduce the risk (BSI).

We come to you in the Hildesheim area and the Leine valley, unpack the TV with you and go through the initial setup together: you decide at every prompt, we explain what is behind it. We switch on automatic updates, sort channels and apps, delete what you do not need and set up streaming services and the remote. We write down your choices in plain language so that you know what was set after an update. Everything about the appointment is on the page smart TV and streaming setup; if you want better sound at the same time, see the article clear TV dialogue.

Should the TV go into a guest network, or does the picture stutter when streaming, we will look at the router and Wi-Fi at the same time. If you would rather learn for yourself how good privacy and security settings work on a computer, tablet and smartphone, the data protection course offers the right framework. You can arrange an appointment via the contact page.