A new investigation has accused LG smart TVs of collecting far more information than owners may realize, including voice transcripts and details about other devices inside their homes.
The claims come from Gamers Nexus, which tested several LG TVs alongside Level1Techs and independent security researchers. During testing, the researchers found that one LG TV scanned the Wi-Fi network it was connected to and detected at least 38 other devices.
This included phones, computers, smartwatches, printers, servers, thermostats, and other connected devices. Gamers Nexus said the TV could see information such as device names, internal IP addresses, usernames, and nearby Wi-Fi networks.
However, it goes further, as they also uncovered that the TV was reportedly storing conversations it heard, including private information recorded when the TV was switched off.
LG TV reportedly stored conversations as text
As many know, newer LG TVs have a recognition feature, which allows owners to control their TV by speaking to it. During the test, after the feature was activated with a voice command, the TV reportedly continued listening to other people in the room. Their conversation was then converted into text and stored inside the TV’s system logs.
The researchers tested how dangerous this could be by saying a fake Social Security number after activating the voice assistant. Gamers Nexus claimed the number was written into the logs as plain text.
It’s important to note that this does not mean LG TVs are constantly recording every conversation. The voice feature had been turned on and activated before the information was captured. However, the test suggested that the TV could continue listening after it had completed the original command.
Gamers Nexus also demonstrated how this could be dangerous if the TV was hacked. Someone with access to a compromised TV could use its microphone or a connected webcam to record a room while the screen appeared to be off.
The TV could reportedly store recordings while disconnected from the internet. So, someone who had already gained access by exploiting the TV could then retrieve the files when the TV was reconnected.
LG had not publicly responded to the new investigation at the time of writing.
I’m Abhishek Sharma, an author at TigerJek.com. I enjoy exploring games, testing different strategies, and turning what I learn into clear, useful guides. My goal is to help players understand the game better and improve without the usual confusion.
