Is Your LG TV Spying? Can Record Conversations Offline and Scan Homes for Devices, Investigation Finds

An investigation into LG smart TVs has raised fresh questions about how much information a television can collect inside a home, with researchers claiming some tested devices could capture audio in standby mode and identify other gadgets connected to the same network.

The investigation by Gamers Nexus, Level1Techs, and independent security researchers examined retail LG OLED televisions and analysed their network traffic and firmware. Researchers said some TVs scanned local networks, collected information about nearby Wi-Fi networks, and stored microphone audio while offline.

LG strongly disputes the central allegations. The company says its TVs do not collect or record ambient conversations unless voice functionality has been deliberately activated. It also describes network scanning as a standard smart-TV function and says its Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) feature is opt-in.

What Researchers Found Inside LG Smart TVs

Researchers said some tested LG televisions scanned local networks and identified devices including phones, computers, smartwatches, printers, and other connected hardware. They also reported that the sets could collect information about nearby Wi-Fi networks. The most controversial finding concerned microphones, with researchers saying tested televisions could retain audio while in standby and store files locally while disconnected from the internet. They said the information could then be uploaded after connectivity was restored.

LG says voice data is processed only when users press the voice button or activate a wake word such as 'Hi LG'. It says that, outside those circumstances, its TVs do not collect or record ambient conversations, while wake-word detection is handled locally. The competing claims mean the reported audio findings should be treated as allegations from the investigation rather than established evidence that all LG TVs secretly record conversations.

Why Viewing Data Has Become Valuable

The controversy also highlights the financial value of smart-TV data. LG operates a connected-TV advertising business through LG Ad Solutions. In 2022, LG Electronics announced the global rollout of its proprietary ACR technology across millions of smart TVs, saying the system would support connected-TV advertising.

ACR can identify content being viewed and help platforms understand audiences. Such information can help advertisers measure campaigns and reach viewers across an increasingly fragmented television market. LG's privacy policy also states that the company processes information through its services and can share personal information with advertising partners to measure advertising effectiveness, improve marketing, and deliver more relevant advertising.

That policy does not establish the specific audio-recording allegations. It does, however, show why information generated by connected televisions has become commercially significant.

LG Owners React to the Privacy Claims

The investigation has prompted strong reactions among LG owners online. Users on Reddit's r/LGOLED community have described the alleged practices as spyware, while others have discussed disconnecting their televisions from the internet or reconsidering LG products. The reaction follows separate concerns raised by Gamers Nexus about LG monitors earlier in 2026.

That investigation alleged that some LG monitors were installing software and displaying promotional pop-ups, adding to scrutiny of the company's approach to advertising and connected hardware. For LG, repeated scrutiny could become a commercial problem if consumers begin viewing internet connectivity as a liability rather than a feature.

The Wider Smart TV Privacy Problem

LG is not the only manufacturer using ACR technology. Malwarebytes notes that smart TVs are internet-connected computers with microphones, apps, advertising systems, and access to the same networks used by phones, laptops, and smart-home devices.

The LG dispute therefore points to a wider privacy issue. Modern televisions can do far more than display programmes, potentially connecting entertainment, household devices, and commercial data collection in one system.

For consumers, the key issue is understanding which features are enabled, what information is collected, and what consent choices are available. For manufacturers and advertisers, the challenge is monetising connected-device data without undermining consumer trust.

LG maintains that its voice processing and ACR systems operate under specific consent and activation rules, while the researchers argue their testing revealed behaviour requiring greater scrutiny. Until those competing technical claims are independently resolved, the investigation is best viewed as a warning about the privacy capabilities of connected TVs rather than proof that every LG television is secretly recording its owners.

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