Smart televisions manufactured by South Korean tech giant LG are secretly recording ambient room conversations and uploading the audio data to the internet, even while the screens are turned off or set to standby mode, a cybersecurity investigation has revealed.
The investigation, conducted by technology YouTube channels Gamers Nexus and Level1Techs alongside two security analysts, found that any internet-connected LG television can capture audio using built-in microphones and webcams. Disconnecting the television from the internet does not halt data collection, as any gathered recording files are automatically transmitted back to company servers as soon as the set reconnects.
Investigators claim the extensive audio and device tracking is used to inform targeted advertising for LG Ad Solutions, a corporate division of LG Electronics. LG, headquartered in Seoul, is one of the world's largest consumer electronics companies and a major manufacturer of smart televisions.
Steve Burke, of Gamers Nexus, told The Times: "The only reason to give a TV this kind of power is to visit horrors upon you, not to make a better product." He added: "Ultimately, we wouldn't recommend any LG smart products to literally anybody."
According to the investigation, LG's data collection capabilities stem from its Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) system. ACR technology allows smart media devices to capture snippets of audio and video, compare them against a media library, and track exactly what is displayed on screen or played through speakers to create viewer advertising profiles.
However, Gamers Nexus found that LG's system keeps the trigger window for voice recognition open for 10 to 15 seconds after a voice command is recognised. During that additional window, the television records everything spoken in the room, produces a plain-language transcript, and stores it in device memory.
In addition to recording conversations, the investigation alleges that LG televisions track other hardware connected to the home network. The sets scan Wi-Fi networks to detect devices such as mobile phones and smartwatches, building up detailed household profiles.
LG claims to track 386 million secondary devices in the US alone, compared to 216 million smart televisions sold worldwide.
Leaked Pitches Detail Household Device Tracking
Gamers Nexus also published video clips of LG executives pitching these tracking capabilities directly to commercial advertisers.
Julian Zilberbrand, head of data solutions at LG Ad Solutions, told marketing platform Swoop: "At LG, we know who is in the LG household. We know which devices are there, we know what you are exposed to on TV and we know how to extend that reach into mobile."
In other video presentations, LG executives claimed ownership over consumer screens. Serge Matta, president of LG Ad Solutions, stated in a video: "In the fact that we have the glass, we own the glass, we own the TV."
Justin Fromm, head of research at LG Ad Solutions, said in an interview on Beet.TV: "Because we own the glass … and we have first-party ACR data … we understand everything that hits the screen."
The findings follow a separate investigation by British consumer advocacy group Which?, which found that smart televisions, smart speakers, and air fryers were filled with tracking software to gather personal data.
Complex Terms and Automatic Consent Opt-Ins
Although LG television owners technically opt in to data collection, investigators allege the terms and conditions are far too complex for most users to understand.
Signing up for ACR tracking requires agreeing to a 50,000-word terms and conditions document, which would take an average adult approximately three to four hours to read.
Furthermore, installing any application on an LG television presents users with six separate agreements, all of which have "select all" checked by default.
Accepting any of these agreements commits the user to having their personal data harvested through ACR tracking.
The researchers recommend avoiding LG products entirely or, for existing owners, permanently disconnecting the device from the network.
Burke added: "We think the extent of LG's data harvesting is intrusive and grotesque. Additionally, we still believe that when you purchase something, especially for thousands of dollars, you should own that thing."
Privacy Advice and LG Official Response
To help prevent smart home equipment from spying on users, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK independent regulator for data protection, outlined five key security practices:
First, conduct research before buying to check what data a device collects and ensure you are comfortable with its access. Second, take control of permissions during setup and reject any unreasonable requests. Third, secure devices using strong passwords and two-step verification where possible. Fourth, regularly install software updates and security patches. Fifth, perform a factory reset to wipe all personal data before selling or disposing of a smart product.
In response to the allegations, an LG spokesman rejected the claims in a statement provided to the Daily Mail.
"The claims made in the recently published video are not true," the spokesman said. "LG 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 recognised after the user has activated the Far-Field voice recognition feature."
The spokesman stated that apart from those instances, the televisions do not collect or record ambient conversations. "If the wake word is not recognised, no voice data is transmitted to the server; wake word detection is processed locally on the device and immediately deleted," LG stated.
LG also addressed network device scanning, calling it a standard functionality commonly available across smart televisions and smart home hardware. The company added that ACR is provided on an opt-in basis for personalised content and recommendations, and that ACR data is not used for advertising if a user does not consent to the optional agreement.
