LG accused of 'egregious invasion of privacy' over TV data collection
LG is facing accusations of privacy violations regarding its smart TVs, which researchers claim collect audio and network data even when in standby mode. The findings suggest the devices transmit detailed information about local network devices and user surroundings.
Why it matters
This highlights growing concerns over data privacy and surveillance capabilities in consumer smart home hardware.
Claims follow scrutiny over monitors installing adware without user consent
LG is once again fending off allegations that its expensive consumer hardware gathers extensive information about users and their surroundings for the benefit of its advertising business.
The latest concerns center on smart TVs that researchers claim continued capturing audio after voice recognition was activated, including while the display was in standby.
The claims once again come from the folks behind the Gamers Nexus YouTube channel, which also claimed in July that LG's monitors were surreptitiously installing adware using an automatic Windows process .
After inspecting the TVs' network traffic and internal data, editor-in-chief Stephen Burke said the team found plaintext transcripts generated from audio captured by the TV, along with other information.
The Gamers Nexus crew said it observed the TV collecting IP addresses, location data, and the names, signal strengths, and channel numbers of nearby Wi-Fi networks.
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