LG denies that its televisions spy on users and responds to a privacy investigation

LG has rejected the accusations from having their smart TVs covertly record conversations or spy on their owners. The company has published a response after Gamers Nexus and several researchers analyzed data collection, automatic content recognition, microphone and device discovery on the local network.

The investigation raises different questions that should be separated. Some functions are part of the documented operation of webOS and depend on user consent. Other tests were carried out on modified or compromised televisions to study what an attacker could do, so they do not demonstrate that commercial equipment sends these recordings to LG on a regular basis.

LG assures that the microphone requires activating voice control

LG explains that its TVs hear a wake word only when the owner has previously enabled far-field voice recognition. He initial processing of expressions like “Hey LG” It is done locally and the feature can remain available while the screen is in sleep.

When the TV detects the keyword, subsequent audio can be processed on the TV itself or sent to servers to interpret the request. The company maintains that the standby microphone serves this mechanism and that users can disable the feature from settings.

The researchers showed that a hacked TV could capture audio, preserve it offline, and stream it later. That test describes possible behavior of a compromised system. LG maintains that its factory TVs do not continuously record or send conversations for advertising purposes.

Content recognition analyzes what is displayed on the screen

Televisions include automatic content recognition, known as ACR. This technology identifies part of the images or sounds played to generate recommendations, audience measurements and interest-based advertising. It can cover content received by applications, tuner or external inputs.

LG notes that ACR is optional and you need consent. The company claims that the data is processed according to the settings chosen by the user. The investigation questions the clarity of the acceptance process and the number of steps necessary to locate or deactivate some options.

This debate also has a legal front. He attorney general of Texas (USA) previously filed a lawsuit related to data collection by LG TVs, including how to obtain consent and the difficulty attributed to the process for opting out of tracking. The existence of that lawsuit does not by itself substantiate all of the allegations in the recent investigation.

TVs search for other devices on the local network

LG confirms that its Smart TVs can detect compatible devices connected to the same network. This ability allows you to find mobile phones, multimedia servers and home devices with which to share content or enable control functions.

The company denies that such scanning automatically converts found devices into advertising targets. It also ensures that it applies security measures to the exchange of information. Gamers Nexus relates this capability to LG Ad Solutions marketing materials that mention hundreds of millions of addressable devices, but each local detection has not been shown to be individually incorporated into an advertising profile.

What an LG TV owner can check

Users can check webOS for voice recognition permissions, ACR, personalized advertising and connection with other devices. Disabling a feature may limit recommendations, voice commands, or integration with nearby devices.

It is also a good idea to install security updates and review permissions after a major change in terms of service. Completely disconnecting the TV from the Internet reduces external communication, although it removes online applications and does not protect against an attacker who has already gained physical access or modified the system.

LG has committed to providing transparency and consent checks, but discrepancies remain between its interpretation and that of researchers. An independent technical evaluation of unmodified televisions would help determine what data is actually coming out of the device with each combination of settings.