The next OTA broadcast standard has an internet connection requirement for targeted ads built into it, that is how far gone we are.
My policy is to never connect these TVs to the internet. If I accidentally bought one that required it I would return it to the store as defective.
Of course, that won't stop them from programming the firmware to wait until outside the return period to start demanding internet access. And I expect sets to start showing up with built in 5G you can't turn off quite soon. The perversion of ad and user tracking will never be satisfied, it is a cancer that only stops if the host cells have entirely died.
My policy is to never connect these TVs to the internet. If I accidentally bought one that required it I would return it to the store as defective.
Of course, that won't stop them from programming the firmware to wait until outside the return period to start demanding internet access. And I expect sets to start showing up with built in 5G you can't turn off quite soon. The perversion of ad and user tracking will never be satisfied, it is a cancer that only stops if the host cells have entirely died.