LG TVs caught spying even when offline or on standby
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LG smart TVs log data and record audio even when offline or on standby.
Gamers Nexus, in partnership with Level1Techs and independent researchers, found that LG OLED TVs constantly upload data about owners and their homes. Packet captures showed the TVs scanning local area networks for devices, logging location data, and feeding information to LG Ad Solutions. The TVs also record microphone audio in standby and store files offline for upload when a connection is restored. Automatic Content Recognition uses audio and video sampling to identify what is being watched across inputs. This follows a prior Gamers Nexus report about LG monitors running adware.
LG is not the only manufacturer with these practices, as RTINGS has also reported on ACR use by most smart TV makers.
What commenters are saying
The dominant sentiment is that smart TVs should never be connected to the internet. Commenters recommend using an Apple TV, a Linux machine running Kodi, or isolating the TV on a separate VLAN with firewall-level blocking, as DNS-level filtering may be insufficient. Some dispute the feasibility of TVs creating mesh networks or using cellular modems, calling those rumors unsubstantiated. One commenter urges a 'DUMB' certification for TVs that do not upload user data. Others note that Samsung TVs can display persistent pop-ups if firmware updates are missed, and some soundbars stop functioning without internet access.