A video investigation by YouTube channels Gamers Nexus and Level1Techs, working with security researchers, has raised concerns that LG smart TVs, including the flagship G5 OLED model, scan home networks to identify other connected devices such as phones and smartwatches, even those belonging to people unaware of the analysis. Packet captures and firmware inspection reportedly showed the TVs could gather IP addresses, geographic location, nearby Wi-Fi network names and signal details, and other devices' internal IP addresses, feeding into LG's advertising arm, which claims it can reach 363 million "addressable secondary devices" in the US. LG has responded that this scanning is standard smart TV functionality used for connectivity and smart home features, though the findings highlight how much data such devices can collect using built-in capabilities rather than any security flaw.

The investigation also found that an LG TV could capture microphone audio even while unplugged from the network, storing it locally in plaintext, raising the possibility it could later be transmitted once reconnected online. LG said this only occurs when its Far-Field wake-word feature is enabled, and that audio not matching the wake word is processed locally and deleted rather than sent to its servers. Researchers noted the issue is not unique to LG and could extend to other smart TVs, particularly given some routers and ISPs broadcast open neighbourhood Wi-Fi networks that devices might inadvertently connect to.