LG smart TVs collect and transmit user data even while offline or on standby
Investigators found that LG smart TVs continuously scan Wi-Fi networks, record audio and identify viewed content, sending the data to LG Ad Solutions even when the set is not connected to the internet.
Gamers Nexus partnered with Level1Techs and security analysts to test several LG OLED smart TVs, discovering that the units constantly scan the home network for nearby devices such as phones and smartwatches, and collect Wi-Fi and location metadata. This information is transmitted to LG Ad Solutions regardless of whether the TV is actively in use. The researchers also observed that the televisions record ambient sound through their microphones while in standby mode, saving the audio files locally and uploading them once the TV reconnects to the internet.
Moreover, the devices run Automatic Content Recognition software that analyzes audio and video signals to identify the content being viewed, including streams from HDMI sources. While LG is not alone in using ACR—RTINGS notes that most smart-TV brands employ similar technology—the findings raise privacy concerns about continuous data collection. Earlier this year, Gamers Nexus reported that some LG monitors installed a data-gathering app that displayed pop-up ads, prompting Microsoft’s intervention and LG’s removal of the ads.
Why it matters
The findings show that LG TVs may breach user privacy by gathering and sending personal data even when not actively used.
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