LG Smart TVs Accused of Recording Conversations and Scanning Devices Inside Homes
LG is facing new privacy scrutiny after researchers said some of its smart TVs recorded conversations, scanned home networks for other devices and tracked what people watched, including content displayed through gaming consoles and computers.
The allegations come from a Sept. 6 investigation by Gamers Nexus, Level1Techs and independent security researchers who examined LG televisions, network traffic and software. Their testing uncovered extensive data collection and security vulnerabilities that they said could turn a television into a covert listening device.
LG disputes claims that its televisions secretly record people inside their homes. The company says voice data is processed only when a user presses the microphone button on a remote or when a supported TV detects a wake phrase after hands-free voice controls have been enabled.
“The TV does not continuously listen to, record, or store conversations in the home,” LG said in a statement released Sept. 12.
Researchers reported finding plaintext transcripts generated from microphone audio and demonstrated that a television could capture sound while its screen appeared to be off and while it was disconnected from the internet.
Part of the audio testing involved exploiting security vulnerabilities in the television. Researchers showed that a compromised LG TV could potentially function as a listening device, a narrower finding than proof that ordinary LG televisions routinely record conversations and send them to the company.
Their investigation raised separate concerns about what the TVs collect during normal operation.
Researchers said LG televisions scanned local networks and identified devices that had never been paired with the TV, including smartphones, smartwatches and computers. Testing also detected information about nearby Wi-Fi networks.
LG acknowledged that its televisions can scan local networks but said the feature supports functions including device connectivity, content sharing and smart-home services.
Researchers also examined LG’s use of Automatic Content Recognition, or ACR, technology. ACR identifies material displayed on a television and can generate data about viewing habits. Testing indicated LG’s system could recognize content shown through external inputs, potentially extending tracking beyond shows watched through apps installed directly on the TV.
The technology has already put LG in a legal fight over consumer privacy.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued LG and other television manufacturers in December 2025, accusing the companies of collecting viewing information without adequate disclosure or consent. Texas alleged that LG used ACR to monitor content from streaming services, cable and connected devices and build profiles of viewers.
LG settled the Texas case in May. Under the agreement, the company cannot collect ACR viewing data from Texas consumers without informed consent and must provide clearer disclosures about how the information is collected and used. Consumers must also receive a simple way to opt out.
Microphone recordings could raise additional legal questions because conversations inside a home may fall under federal or state communications privacy laws. Whether any recording violates those laws can depend on how the audio was captured, what consent a user provided and whether the information was stored or transmitted.
LG says users must accept a voice information agreement before its voice recognition features are activated. Supported televisions also include a hardware switch that can disable the built-in microphone, according to the company.
The latest findings have already drawn attention from consumer lawyers. Migliaccio & Rathod LLP said it is investigating whether certain LG smart TVs collect microphone audio, identify devices on home networks or transmit information without consumers adequately understanding the extent of the collection. No lawsuit arising from that investigation has been announced.
Researchers are also pursuing a disclosure process involving the security vulnerabilities uncovered during testing. LG maintains that its voice recognition, ACR and advertising features operate with user consent as scrutiny grows over how much information smart televisions can collect inside consumers’ homes.
