LG smart TVs face privacy concerns over alleged large-scale data collection

09:00

By: Azzat Manal

LG smart TVs face privacy concerns over alleged large-scale data collection

A series of extensive tests conducted by technology researchers has raised fresh questions about privacy practices on certain LG smart televisions, with the investigators alleging that the devices can collect a broad range of information from users and their connected home environments.

The investigation, which reportedly involved around 500 hours of testing and a budget of approximately $70,000, examined how LG televisions communicate with external servers and what types of information may be transmitted from the devices.

Among the most contentious findings concerns the television’s voice-recognition capabilities. Researchers claimed that when the feature is enabled, captured speech can be converted into text, potentially even while the television is in standby mode. They also reported detecting information related to the local network and other connected devices within the household.

The researchers further alleged that disconnecting a television from the internet does not necessarily stop data collection immediately. According to their tests, certain information may be stored locally and transmitted once the device reconnects to the network.

LG has rejected the suggestion that its televisions record conversations taking place around users. The company maintains that voice recognition is an optional function and that audio data processing is linked to the activation and use of the feature.

The investigation was partly carried out by the technology-focused YouTube channel Gamers Nexus. Its editor-in-chief, Stephen Burke, said the team examined both network traffic and internal television data and identified what researchers believed to be text generated from sounds captured by the television, alongside other categories of information.

The researchers said their analysis detected IP addresses, location-related information, nearby Wi-Fi network names and signal strengths, as well as information about television channels. They also claimed that some devices could identify other products connected to the same local network, even when those devices were not directly paired with the television.

The reported list included smartphones, smartwatches, routers, thermostats, air purifiers and computers. Network monitoring tools such as Wireshark were used by the investigators to analyse communications generated by the devices.

The team also raised concerns about what it described as the television’s ability to retain certain information while offline and transmit it after an internet connection is restored. Researchers said they were working with cybersecurity specialists to responsibly disclose vulnerabilities they believe they identified, including one that they claim could potentially enable remote code execution.

Another major issue involves the advertising ecosystem surrounding connected televisions. LG operates automatic content recognition technology, commonly known as ACR, which can analyse television viewing activity and generate data used for advertising and measurement purposes.

LG has said that ACR data is anonymised and handled in accordance with its privacy policies. Such information can be used by advertisers to measure campaign performance and assess whether exposure to advertising leads to interaction with an application or service.

The practice is not unique to LG. Major manufacturers across the smart-TV industry use various forms of viewing-data collection and content recognition, although the precise technologies, privacy settings and user controls differ from one company to another.

The controversy nevertheless highlights a broader concern surrounding connected televisions: whether consumers fully understand what information their devices can collect, when that collection takes place and how the resulting data may be used.

LG’s advertising business has increasingly focused on connected television audiences and household-level targeting, reflecting the transformation of smart TVs from simple entertainment devices into connected platforms capable of interacting with wider digital ecosystems.

This development has prompted additional privacy questions because televisions can potentially provide information not only about viewing habits but also about the digital environment in which they operate. The issue becomes particularly sensitive when connected televisions are installed in offices, medical facilities or meeting rooms, where network and audio-related information could involve confidential material.

The latest allegations are not the first criticism directed at LG televisions by Gamers Nexus. The group previously raised concerns about certain LG devices and software-related behaviour involving Windows systems.

The dispute comes as smart-TV manufacturers continue to expand the use of voice recognition, automatic content recognition, targeted advertising and connected-home technologies. While these functions can offer greater convenience and more personalised services, they also raise questions about transparency and informed consent.

The findings reported by the researchers do not, by themselves, establish that every LG television behaves in the same way or that all alleged data practices occur under every configuration. However, they underscore the growing privacy challenges surrounding smart devices and the importance of clear disclosure and effective user controls as televisions become increasingly integrated into connected homes.