LG Denies Its TVs Are Spying on You (Unless You Opted In)
LG has denied allegations that its smart TVs are spying on users, following a report that suggested the devices collect data even when offline. The company maintains that audio recording is limited to voice-command features and that all data collection is strictly opt-in.
Why it matters
This highlights the ongoing privacy concerns surrounding smart home devices and the transparency of data collection practices in consumer electronics.
LG is pushing back against claims that its TVs eavesdrop on owners constantly after a joint report by Gamers Nexus and Level1Techs discovered unsettling details about how much data it phones home—including when the devices are offline or in standby mode.
The report used packet capture and firmware analysis to conclude that a range of LG retail OLED TVs scan local area networks to identify devices like phones and smartwatches, as well as the location data of nearby Wi-Fi networks, for LG Ad Solutions. Gamers Nexus and Level1Techs also said they’d found evidence LG TVs also record audio via their microphones, even when on standby or disconnected, and take samples of audio and video data to identify content for advertisers (Automatic Content Recognition or ACR, which is ubiquitous ).
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