LG has denied allegations that its smart TVs continuously listen to ambient conversations and upload data even when offline or in standby mode.
The company issued a statement to Tom's Hardware responding to a detailed investigation by YouTube channel Gamers Nexus and security researchers.
The investigation claimed the TVs log and upload data, scan local Wi-Fi networks, capture audio, and identify other devices on the home network.
Researchers said the built-in mic could still capture ambient sound while the TV appeared off, with audio stored locally and possibly sent later.
They supported the claims with packet captures and firmware analysis, and also discussed Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) technology used to identify on-screen content.
LG's Response to Privacy Allegations
LG said the main claims are not true, asserting that its TVs only process voice data in two specific situations.
The first is when a user presses and holds the voice button on the remote.
The second is when the far-field voice recognition feature is enabled and the TV hears the wake word "Hi LG."
Outside those cases, LG says the TVs do not collect or record ambient conversations.
Any audio used solely for detecting the wake word stays on the device and is deleted if there is no match, with nothing sent to LG's servers.
LG did acknowledge that its smart TVs can scan for other devices on the same local network.
It described this as a normal feature used by many smart TVs and connected home products to handle device connections and content sharing.
Regarding ACR, LG said it is an optional setting that requires user consent and can be turned off.
Data from ACR is not used for advertising unless the user specifically allows it.
LG emphasized that users control privacy settings and that security is continuously monitored and updated.
The company did not respond to every secondary claim in the video, but its statement focused on the biggest privacy concern: continuous eavesdropping.
LG aims to reassure users that such eavesdropping is not happening.
