LG denies findings that its smart TVs spy on users in standby mode

LG smart TVs can log audio, scan home networks, and track viewing habits even when in standby mode, according to a new investigation by YouTube channel Gamers Nexus, conducted alongside Level1Techs and independent security researchers.

The findings, detailed in a 135-minute video and reported by outlets including The Verge and Malwarebytes, show that tested LG OLED televisions identified devices on local networks — such as phones, PCs, printers, and smart-home hardware — collected nearby Wi-Fi network names and signal data, and fed information back to LG Ad Solutions. Perhaps most concerning, the researchers demonstrated that a compromised TV could capture audio through its built-in microphone while the screen appeared to be off, storing recordings locally when disconnected from the internet and uploading them once a connection was restored.malwarebytes+1

LG Pushes Back

LG has denied the claims. In a statement provided to Business Today, the company said, "The claims made in the recently published video are not true," adding that its TVs "process voice data only when the voice button on the remote control is pressed and held, or when a wake word such as 'Hi LG' is recognized after the user has activated the Far-Field voice recognition feature". LG also said its televisions do not collect or record ambient conversations and described network scanning as "a standard function commonly provided by smart TVs and smart home devices".businesstoday

The researchers also reported remote-code-execution vulnerabilities to LG, though full details have not been disclosed while a responsible disclosure process is ongoing.malwarebytes

A Broader Smart TV Problem

The findings arrive amid wider scrutiny of smart TV data practices. Automated content recognition, or ACR, is enabled by default across most major TV brands, including Samsung, Sony, Vizio, and Roku-based sets, according to PCMag. ACR uses audio and video fingerprinting to identify what viewers are watching across all inputs, including HDMI-connected devices, and shares that data for advertising purposes.pcmag+1

Security experts recommend that smart TV owners install firmware updates promptly, disable ACR and voice-recognition features in their privacy settings, and place IoT devices on a separate network to limit what a compromised television could access.businesstoday+1