A researcher says a 2025 Samsung television contains code for profiling viewing habits and processing data for targeted advertising, though the findings have not been independently verified.
A cybersecurity researcher has claimed that a recent Samsung smart TV was gathering a wide range of viewing and device data for advertising purposes, raising fresh concerns about how aggressively connected televisions profile users inside the home. According to Tom’s Hardware, the researcher, who posts under the handle log4j, said they were prompted to investigate after seeing unusually specific adverts on a 2025 Samsung set. They then reverse-engineered Samsung’s Tizen software and said they found code linked to tracking viewing behaviour, ad interactions and playback progress.
The researcher also said they identified an AI model apparently used to process that information, together with a cross-device identifier for advertising. Tom’s Hardware reported that the code could also, in theory, make use of connected devices with microphones, such as soundbars and Bluetooth accessories, to capture audio. Those findings have not been independently verified, and they do not prove that every Samsung television is constantly recording conversations or transmitting live audio.
The investigation has also drawn attention because the researcher said they used OpenAI’s tools while analysing the firmware, before the account was later banned for alleged cyber abuse. The researcher disputed that characterisation, saying the tools were used for local reverse engineering rather than exploitation. The episode underlines the growing tension between security research and platform enforcement when investigators probe deeply into consumer electronics.
Samsung is not the only television maker facing scrutiny over data collection. LG has recently been forced to deny similar allegations after a separate investigation suggested its smart TVs were capturing audio and other household signals. LG has said its Automatic Content Recognition system is optional, disabled by default and based on audio fingerprinting rather than screenshots or continuous recordings, while voice features only operate when a user activates them. The company also said customers can manage privacy and advertising settings through the TV menu.
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