Your TV Won’t Connect to Open Wi-Fi Without Permission or Have a 4G Modem

Everyone knows smart TVs are dreadful for privacy because manufacturers make money from advertising to subsidies cheaper units. Avoiding it is as simple as buying another device for smart functionality (Apple TV, Android streaming box, or RPi running LibreELEC). Some TVs might require an internet connect but if not upfront, return it (but 99% of units work fine offline). There’s an online urban legend of TVs connecting to open Wi-Fi to force themselves online. After reading many forum threads, there’s no actual evidence of this happening. Makes sense as automatically connecting to open WI-FI would expose the device owner to a potential prison sentence (Up to 2 years in UK under Computer Misuse Act).