LG TVs Found Eavesdropping on Owners Even When Switched Off
An investigation has found that LG-branded smart TVs continue to monitor home networks and record room audio, even when in standby mode or disconnected from the internet.
The investigation was conducted by the technology channel Gamers Nexus, alongside a team of independent security researchers, over a period of more as than 500 hours. The results were startling. Televisions that appeared to be turned off were actually scanning all devices connected to the home Wi-Fi network, noting every smartphone, computer, and other smart objects within the house. Furthermore, the television microphones remained active and continued to record the conversations of residents.
Researchers discovered that even when the volume button was muted via settings, hidden microphones continued to record. Even after the internet cable was unplugged, the television continued to store voice recordings and immediately transmitted them back to LG servers as soon as the cable was reconnected. The captured audio was clear from a distance of approximately 18 metres and could still be recorded through brick walls.
Voice commands were converted into plain text and stored in the television’s logs. The microphones remained active for 10 to 15 seconds after a user finished speaking, thereby recording any subsequent conversation in the room. This occurs despite LG’s previous official statements asserting that their devices never record or store everyday conversations.
In May 2024, LG signed an agreement with the Government of the State of Texas, USA, promising not to collect viewer data without explicit permission. However, this investigation proves that four months after that commitment was made, data collection practices were still ongoing.
It appears this data collection is not merely for television service purposes. Through its subsidiaries, LG attempts to match the viewing habits of television owners with smartphones and other devices in the home, subsequently selling this information to advertisers. LG’s own advertising officials have openly stated that the company “owns the television screen,” implying that whatever appears on the screen is theirs to study.
In addition to eavesdropping, researchers also discovered unpatched security vulnerabilities. These loopholes could be exploited by third parties to take remote control of the television without the owner’s knowledge. More alarmingly, approximately 42 per cent of the applications available in the LG TV app store were found to contain secret code capable of rerouting the owner’s home internet traffic elsewhere, making it appear as though the connection belongs to the television owner.