LG has dismissed allegations that its smart televisions are secretly recording user conversations, asserting that voice processing only occurs when users actively engage voice features, amidst renewed scrutiny over data collection practices in connected devices.
LG has rejected claims that its smart televisions are silently recording conversations, saying voice processing only starts when a user explicitly activates a supported wake-word function or presses the voice or AI button on the remote. In a statement on its website, the South Korean company said audio used for wake-word detection is handled locally on the television and is not stored or transmitted if no wake word is detected.
The clarification follows a YouTube investigation by Gamers Nexus, which alleged that LG sets could capture speech even in standby mode and compile data on connected devices, IP addresses, locations and nearby Wi-Fi networks. The video, titled “216,000,000 Spy TVs, The LG Smart TV Problem”, prompted renewed scrutiny of how smart TVs handle microphone access, network scanning and ad profiling.
LG said any voice-recognition records or technical logs are tied to specific voice interactions, not to conversations taking place outside an active session. It also said features such as Automatic Content Recognition, voice recognition and interest-based advertising are optional and not switched on by default. According to the company, users can enable or withdraw consent for these functions through TV settings.
The wider issue is not limited to LG. Reporting from Tom’s Guide and TechSpot says other major television brands also use Automatic Content Recognition and similar tracking tools to analyse viewing habits for advertising and personalisation. Tom’s Guide also noted that some LG owners can reduce exposure by disabling ACR, limiting ad tracking, switching off hands-free voice features and isolating the set on a guest network or using an external streaming device. LG, meanwhile, has acknowledged that its TVs can scan local networks, but says that is a standard feature of modern connected devices rather than evidence of covert recording.
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