LG responds to TV spying allegations
After security researchers and outlets including Gamers Nexus and Level1Techs reported that some LG smart TVs log and upload user data, LG issued a statement disputing the implications of that coverage. The company said its TVs do not "continuously record or transmit users' conversations," that wake-word detection runs locally, and that features such as Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) and voice recognition are optional and not enabled by default.
Why It Matters
The dispute matters because researchers presented evidence of extensive ambient-audio logs on an LG set, while the company has not fully addressed questions about the scope of its data collection, who receives that data, or how privacy controls are presented to users. Those unresolved issues bear directly on consumer privacy and the security risks of connected devices.
Key Facts
- Date of Verge report: September 12, 2026
- Researchers and outlets reporting findings: Gamers Nexus, Level1Techs, and independent security researchers
- LG's core denial: LG said its TVs do not continuously record or transmit users' conversations
- Wake-word processing: LG said wake-word detection is processed locally on the TV
- ACR, voice recognition, interest-based advertising: LG said these features are optional and not enabled by default
Security researchers and tech channels including Gamers Nexus and Level1Techs recently published findings suggesting certain LG smart TVs log and upload data about their users. Those reports prompted scrutiny over how much ambient information the devices capture and whether that information is transmitted off the device.
LG pushed back in a public statement, saying some coverage may have created misconceptions about how its smart TVs operate. The company emphasized that its sets do not "continuously record or transmit users' conversations" and that wake-word detection happens locally on the device.
Researchers contest that characterization. Gamers Nexus demonstrated an LG TV retaining extensive logs of ambient conversation long after the AI assistant would normally stop listening, a detail that highlights the difference between not "continuously" recording and maintaining substantial local logs of audio-related events.
LG also clarified technical points about its features: it described Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) as an audio-fingerprinting function that uses the TV's internal audio processor (not a speaker) to identify content, and stated that ACR, voice recognition, and interest-based advertising are optional and not enabled by default. The company additionally said ACR does not collect screenshots, screen recordings, video recordings, voice recordings, or other audio recordings from the TV.
The company did not, however, directly answer broader questions raised by the reporting — including how much data its TVs collect overall, which third parties may receive that data, the potential for exploitation of these features by bad actors, and concerns about how clearly privacy options are presented to users. The technical dispute and outstanding questions mean the issue is likely to remain a focus for further reporting and scrutiny.
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