TL;DW: Some LG PC monitors (increasing models - also older models) auto install adware via Windows Update as soon as they are connected. Additionally, LG TVs secretly listen in and send pretty much all data back home.

Thanks for the link. I will make sure never to buy any LG product ever again.

Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to buy a TV (65"+) that isn't a "smart" TV (where smart == exfiltrating data and/or showing ads). If anyone has any recommendations, I would be grateful.

I am working on this personal casting device and I have been using it for both personal use and other work use-cases, here is a demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jObZzI2_pv0

Just like youtube, I can log in to my netflix, amazon prime and then use the touch screen to choose the movie to watch and it gets played on the external screen.

For few years the solution was to buy any TV you like, not connect it to internet and use some cheap streaming box. Nowadays even Roku added ads to its devices, so the question became: which streaming services are easy to whitelist on router, cause my consumer devices are too unsafe to allow them internet access.

I believe the only way is to deny internet connection to the TV and add a HTPC via HDMI.