Overview
- A technical investigation by Gamers Nexus and partners alleges select LG TVs scan home networks, record ambient audio from TV and remote microphones, transcribe and store audio locally, and upload files when the set reconnects to the internet.
- LG has formally denied continuous or unauthorized recording, saying voice processing happens only after a user presses the voice button or enables the wake word and that wake-word detection is handled locally.
- The company acknowledged that its TVs scan local networks to detect devices and reiterated that Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) is opt-in and used for recommendations and ads when consent is given.
- Privacy researchers and legal experts say LG’s statement does not clarify what exact data is collected, how long logs or transcripts are retained, who can access them, or whether consent screens meet legal standards.
- Regulators and past enforcement shape the backdrop: the Texas attorney general sued makers over ACR in 2025, Samsung and LG reached settlements requiring clearer opt-in flows, and experts advise disabling ACR and voice features, using guest IoT networks, and installing updates.