LG Smart TVs Reportedly Collect Data and Audio While in Standby Mode

Millions of LG smart TVs are reportedly continuing to collect user data and capture audio even when the devices are in standby mode or disconnected from the internet. Independent security research, including testing conducted by the Gamers Nexus YouTube channel, indicates that these television sets actively scan local networks for connected devices and log Wi-Fi information while the screen is dark. The findings suggest that the data collection practices extend far beyond standard telemetry, raising significant questions regarding consumer privacy and the extent of control users maintain over their hardware.

With LG having sold an estimated 220 million smart TVs over the last decade, the potential scale of this data harvesting is substantial. The investigation revealed that the devices do not merely monitor their own status but actively probe the local network environment, identifying other hardware such as smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches. This behavior persists even when the television is not actively being used, effectively turning the living room centerpiece into a persistent network scanner that operates without explicit user engagement or awareness.

Perhaps the most concerning aspect of the investigation involves the television's microphone array. Testing demonstrated that the microphone continues to capture audio even after the display has been powered down into standby mode. Unlike some consumer electronics that feature a physical kill switch for microphones, LG smart TVs do not provide a hardware-level mechanism to disable the input. This means that even if a user attempts to turn off voice recognition features through the software settings, the underlying hardware remains capable of capturing audio.

When the television is disconnected from the internet, the gathered audio recordings are stored locally on the device's internal drive. Once the TV regains an internet connection, these stored files are uploaded to LG’s servers. This mechanism ensures that data collection remains uninterrupted by network outages, effectively creating a buffer that allows the device to maintain its surveillance capabilities regardless of the user's connectivity status at any given moment.

LG has defended its data collection practices as a means to improve user experience and provide more relevant advertising. The company utilizes Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) technology, which runs continuously in the background. This system takes periodic screenshots of the content being displayed on the screen to identify what the user is watching. This information is then processed and shared with advertisers to facilitate the delivery of highly targeted ads across the user's various connected devices.

This strategy is central to the company's broader commercial ambitions. Serge Matta, President of Global Ad Sales at LG Ad Solutions, has been a prominent voice in the company's push to emphasize that LG “owns the glass.” This corporate philosophy extends to the company's marketing materials, which encourage advertisers to “own the living room” by leveraging the data collected from LG households. The strategy aims to bridge the gap between television viewing habits and activity on other personal devices like phones and tablets.

Beyond the privacy implications of targeted advertising, the practice of storing sensitive data locally on the TV presents a distinct cybersecurity risk. Because these devices are essentially computers that remain connected to home networks, they can become prime targets for malware infections. If a television is compromised, the locally stored data—which may include voice recordings and network information—could potentially be accessed by unauthorized third parties.

Security researchers have long warned that smart TVs are often among the most vulnerable devices in a modern home network. The fact that LG TVs continue to log information and store audio locally while in standby exacerbates these risks. As users have limited ability to audit or clear this data, the television effectively becomes a persistent, unmanaged repository of personal information that sits inside the home, often with fewer security updates or protections than a standard laptop or smartphone.

Despite the concerns raised by these findings, users currently have very few options to mitigate this data collection. While software-based toggles for voice recognition exist, they do not address the underlying hardware capability that allows the microphone to remain active. The lack of a physical disconnect for the microphone means that users are effectively forced to trust the manufacturer's software implementation to respect their privacy, a prospect that many security experts find insufficient.

As the investigation into LG's practices continues to gain attention, the debate over who truly owns the data generated by smart home devices is likely to intensify. Consumers who purchased these televisions under the assumption that they were private appliances are now facing the reality that their devices may be functioning as active data-gathering nodes. Future updates or regulatory scrutiny may eventually force manufacturers to provide more transparent controls, but for now, the ability to fully opt out of this ecosystem remains largely unavailable to the average user.