Gamers Nexus, in collaboration with Level1Techs and security researchers, spent over 500 hours and approximately $70,000 to investigate LG TVs. They discovered that the devices scan home Wi-Fi networks using the UPnP protocol to map all connected phones, laptops, and smart devices.
The investigation revealed that LG TVs can capture microphone audio even when the screen is dark or the device is disconnected from the internet. Researchers found a hidden microphone that remains active even when the main microphone is muted in settings. The devices can record speech from about 60 feet away through a wall and upload stored audio upon reconnection to the internet.
Voice commands are converted to plain text and saved in logs, with microphones remaining active for 10 to 15 seconds after speech ends. LG Ad Solutions targets advertisers by linking TV habits to other household devices. This data is processed through Alphonso Inc., a company LG took a controlling stake in during 2021.
Security flaws were identified, including unpatched remote-code-execution bugs that allow attackers to run commands via the network. Additionally, residential-proxy code, which reroutes third-party internet traffic through home connections, was found in approximately 42% of apps in the LG webOS store.
LG settled with Texas regulators in May to stop collecting viewing data without informed consent. However, Gamers Nexus found the 'Do Not Sell My Personal Information' toggle remains off by default. Following the July report, LG added a forced-arbitration clause to its terms of service to block class-action lawsuits.
