Smart TV or surveillance device? That is the question raised again following a new investigation into LG TVs.
According to ITNA, researchers affiliated with the Gamers Nexus channel, by examining network traffic and internal data of LG TVs, claim these devices collect extensive information about their surrounding environment.
According to this review, the TV records information such as IP address, location data, and characteristics of nearby Wi‑Fi networks including network name, signal strength, and channel.
It is also said the TV can identify devices connected to the local network even if they are not directly paired with the TV; from smartphones and watches to routers, thermostats, air purifiers, and computers.
Claim of recording audio in standby mode
The more controversial part of this research concerns the TV’s microphone. The researchers claim that in the examined data they observed transcripts generated from audio recorded by the TV, and this process continued in some tests even when the TV was in Standby.
According to the research team, the TV could even store audio data locally when internet was disconnected and send the related information after the connection was reestablished.
The researchers also reported examining a potential remote code execution vulnerability. These matters remain at the level of research claims and LG does not agree with this interpretation for some of them.
LG had previously stated that its TVs do not collect, record, or store ambient conversations and that the voice recognition feature is optional and voice processing occurs when the user activates it.
In LG’s official guide for the voice recognition feature, enabling this feature and connecting the TV to the network are listed as prerequisites for its use.
The role of advertising in data collection
One reason for sensitivity about this issue is the connection of smart TVs to LG’s advertising business. The company uses Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) technology; a technology that can identify the content being played for analytical and advertising purposes.
LG announced in 2022 that it would expand its ACR technology to smart TVs in 27 countries and that the data resulting from it would be made available to advertising activities through LG Ads Solutions. The company emphasized that ACR data is processed anonymously and in accordance with privacy regulations.
But critics say the issue is not just the content the user sees on screen. If the TV can also identify the network, nearby devices, and ambient audio data, the scope of information that can be collected goes far beyond "TV watching habits."
This concern becomes more significant as smart TVs are no longer merely displays and have become part of the connected home ecosystem. LG has even developed features like Voice ID, user voice recognition, and content personalization in its new generation of TVs.
LG is not the only company in this field
According to The Register, ACR technology is not unique to LG. Industry reports indicate many major smart TV manufacturers use forms of automatic content recognition technology. For this reason the main issue is not just the behavior of a single brand; it is the level of transparency companies provide about the data connected TVs collect and what controls the user exactly has to limit this process.