LG Smart TVs Accused of Secretly Scanning Networks and Logging Audio in Standby
Researchers allege that certain LG OLED smart TVs scan home networks and capture microphone audio even when in standby mode, uploading the data later.
A recent investigation by Gamers Nexus, in collaboration with Level1Techs and independent security researchers, has raised serious privacy concerns regarding specific LG OLED smart televisions. The study alleges that these devices continue to scan local home networks and capture audio from their built-in microphones even when they are in standby mode, with the collected data being uploaded to LG Ad Solutions once network connectivity is re-established.
During testing, researchers observed LG OLED models, including the flagship G5, actively scanning their local networks for unrelated devices such as smartphones and smartwatches belonging to individuals not involved in the testing. Beyond simple device discovery, the televisions reportedly logged the names and signal strengths of nearby Wi-Fi networks, effectively mapping the connected environment of a household. This detailed network mapping could provide attackers with significant intelligence about a user's digital footprint.
The most alarming findings relate to the television's audio capture capabilities. According to the researchers, the TVs recorded clear microphone audio even when the screen appeared to be powered off. This behavior persisted even when the Ethernet cable was physically disconnected, suggesting that the audio data was stored locally on the device. The captured audio was then automatically uploaded as soon as the TV reconnected to the internet, feeding into LG's advertising infrastructure.
These findings directly contradict LG's previous public statements, which asserted that its televisions "do not collect, record, or store ambient conversations." The investigation detailed in a video breakdown by Gamers Nexus founder Steve Burke suggests that the TVs perform on-device transcription of spoken prompts into plain-text logs, rather than merely recording raw ambient audio. While LG's marketing might technically differentiate between "ambient conversations" and specific voice commands, the underlying voice-assistant pipeline appears to capture, process, and retain speech data locally before it leaves the device.
The observed behavior extends beyond typical home use. The automatic content recognition (ACR) system, which tracks viewing habits, reportedly continues to operate across all inputs, including HDMI. This means that LG televisions used in sensitive environments such as hospitals, hotel rooms, or corporate boardrooms could inadvertently capture and upload data from private conversations or confidential meetings. Clinicians have already expressed concerns about potential breaches of patient confidentiality in healthcare settings.
LG Ad Solutions openly promotes its ACR technology as a means to deliver "glass-level" viewing data to advertisers across all inputs. The company has reportedly scaled this program to approximately 33 million opted-in sets in the United States alone, with partnerships with Nielsen further expanding its audience measurement capabilities. The potential for this data to be used for extensive profiling across a large number of devices raises significant privacy implications for consumers.
In response to these findings, security researchers are advising users to take immediate precautionary measures. These include disconnecting smart TVs from home Wi-Fi networks entirely and instead using external streaming devices like Roku, Apple TV, or Fire Stick. Disabling the TV's built-in microphone through settings, where available, and regularly checking privacy dashboards for opt-out options are also recommended. These steps can help mitigate the risk of unauthorized data collection while LG addresses the scrutiny surrounding its smart TV practices.
This new report from Malwarebytes Labs provides further technical detail on the LG TV vulnerabilities, including analysis of network traffic and firmware. Researchers demonstrated how compromised TVs could capture audio even when seemingly off and store it for later retrieval, even when unplugged from the internet. The investigation also identified specific network discovery capabilities and the collection of nearby Wi-Fi network names, adding to the concerns about extensive data collection and potential network surveillance.