Investigations reveal LG’s smart televisions continue to collect and transmit user data, including audio recordings, even when in standby mode, raising significant privacy concerns amid scrutiny of connected device practices.
LG’s smart televisions are drawing fresh scrutiny after a report by Gamers Nexus, working with Level1Techs and independent security researchers, said the sets continue to collect and transmit data even when they are offline or in standby. The findings add to wider concerns about how connected TVs monetise viewing habits and household data.
According to the investigation, the televisions scan local Wi-Fi networks for nearby devices such as phones and smartwatches, gather details on surrounding networks and location, and send that information to LG Ad Solutions. The report also said the sets use audio and video sampling to identify what is being watched across different inputs, a technique known as automatic content recognition.
The most serious claim concerns audio capture. Gamers Nexus said the televisions were able to record microphone input while in standby mode, storing files locally when the internet connection was unavailable and uploading them once connectivity returned. The report described the behaviour as continuing even after the set was disconnected from the internet.
TechRadar said the findings have intensified criticism of LG’s advertising strategy, particularly language used in business-to-business presentations that suggested the company knows not only the primary viewer but other people and devices in the home. The publication also noted that critics argue such practices are buried in privacy policies that are difficult for consumers to understand, while LG had been approached for comment.
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