LG smart TVs continue to collect and transmit data about owners and their homes even when switched to standby or disconnected from the internet, according to an investigation by YouTube channel Gamers Nexus. The sets scan local Wi-Fi networks for nearby devices, log location and network details, and record microphone audio while in standby, raising significant privacy concerns for owners who may assume their TVs are inactive when not in use.

Working with Level1Techs and independent security researchers, Gamers Nexus tested retail LG OLED televisions and used packet captures to show data being sent to LG Ad Solutions, including details of nearby phones, smartwatches and Wi-Fi networks. Audio recorded during standby was found to be stored locally and uploaded once the TV reconnected to the internet. The TVs also use Automatic Content Recognition to identify content viewed through apps or connected via HDMI, a practice the investigation notes is common across most smart TV manufacturers, not unique to LG. It follows a July report from the same channel that found some LG monitors installing apps that harvested device data and served pop-up ads, which prompted Microsoft to intervene and LG to disable the ads.