LG TV owners may not realize what happens while the screen is off – Automated Home

A dark LG television can look completely inactive, yet a September 2026 investigation says some models continue processing data in standby. Researchers reported microphone activity, network scanning, and viewing-data collection behind the blank screen.

Gamers Nexus, Level1Techs, and independent security researchers tested retail LG OLED televisions, including the 2025 LG G5. They analyzed network traffic and on-device behavior to examine what webOS was doing while the display appeared powered down.

LG strongly disputes the most alarming allegations. The company says its televisions do not record ambient conversations, voice processing begins after intentional activation, and Automatic Content Recognition is optional and off by default.

What happens when the screen goes dark

Researchers demonstrated that an LG television with elevated access could capture clear microphone audio while its screen appeared off. During voice-recognition testing, they also found plain-text transcripts stored in logs on the television.

The researchers further demonstrated offline audio collection and later transmission after manipulating the television through security vulnerabilities.

LG disputes that this reflects normal television behavior, saying voice data is not stored for later upload when a TV is offline and ambient conversations are not continuously recorded.

Is the microphone still listening?

LG confirms that supported televisions can listen locally for the “Hi LG” wake word when hands-free voice control is enabled, including while the display is in standby.

Researchers found that after a voice-recognition session was activated, microphone capture could continue for roughly 10 to 15 seconds after speech stopped.

Their testing also used far-field voice settings and increased microphone sensitivity. LG says wake-word audio that does not trigger a voice session is not converted to text, stored, or transmitted.

Your TV may scan the home network

The investigation found webOS televisions repeatedly scanning local networks for connected devices. Researchers said tested sets identified phones, smartwatches, printers, thermostats, air purifiers, 3D printers, development boards, and other equipment.

Those scans can expose device names and internal internet protocol addresses, while Wi-Fi information can reveal network names, signal strengths, and channels. LG acknowledges network discovery but calls it a normal feature for casting, file sharing, and smart-home connectivity.

Why network discovery matters at home

A television can share a network with laptops, phones, cameras, speakers, thermostats, and home servers. Information about those devices can therefore reveal much more about a household than the screen itself suggests.

Researchers also raised concerns about location information. They said combining Wi-Fi environment details with geolocation data could help infer where a television and its household are physically located, although that does not establish malicious use.

Little-known fact: LG says nearby Wi-Fi access-point and signal-strength data can help estimate a TV’s approximate location for ACR services.

What does Live Plus actually track?

LG’s Automatic Content Recognition technology, known through its Live Plus viewing-information feature, can identify content from supported sources by creating digital fingerprints rather than storing complete screenshots or recordings.

LG says ACR can operate with Live TV, LG Channels, and HDMI-connected devices such as game consoles, but not inside third-party streaming apps such as Netflix or YouTube accessed through LG Apps. Researchers estimated that one test configuration generated about 4 gigabytes of ACR-related data over a month.

Advertising makes viewing data valuable

LG Ad Solutions says its advertising platform can reach 216 million LG smart TVs globally and 363 million addressable secondary devices in the United States through its cross-device advertising capabilities.

The company markets those capabilities for audience measurement, advertising attribution, and reaching connected households across televisions, phones, tablets, and computers.

LG says its local-network device-discovery function is separate from advertising profiling and that cross-device advertising requires additional user consent.

Little-known fact: In the Gamers Nexus test, clicking through LG’s first ten agreements took 2,705 button presses and over 30,000 words.

Other tracking concerns appeared too

The researchers also identified a Conviva video analytics tracker embedded in the television feed. They said this could add another layer of information about content consumption alongside LG’s advertising and viewing systems.

The investigation also raised concerns about DNS requests from LG’s built-in Channels and IPTV applications. Researchers argued that those requests could reveal which channel is being watched to parties observing network traffic.

Security flaws could raise the stakes

Researchers reported remote code execution vulnerabilities in webOS that could potentially let attackers run arbitrary code on affected televisions. If exploited, such access could expose microphones, local network information, or other television resources.

A compromised television could theoretically become a foothold for reaching other devices on the same home network. Technical details are being withheld under responsible disclosure, and there is no public evidence that these specific flaws are actively exploited.

LG says the spying claims go too far

LG says its televisions do not collect, record, or store ambient conversations. The company says voice features activate through supported wake words or remote controls, while speech results are not uploaded later after an offline period.

LG also describes network scanning as a standard connectivity function and says ACR uses compact fingerprints instead of screenshots or full recordings. However, its confirmation of standby wake-word monitoring means some microphone listening can occur before the screen turns on.

Which LG televisions are affected?

The investigation focused on LG smart televisions running webOS rather than one isolated model. Tested examples included recent OLED televisions such as the 2025 LG G5, but exact behavior can vary by model, software version, settings, and enabled services.

LG Ad Solutions says its advertising business can reach 216 million LG smart TVs globally. That figure is an addressable installed base, not a count of televisions proven to be secretly recording their owners.

How can owners reduce collection?

The strongest privacy measure is disconnecting the television from the internet. Owners can remove saved Wi-Fi networks and unplug Ethernet, then use an external streaming device for services requiring online access.

Owners can also disable Live Plus through Settings and review privacy controls. Depending on the webOS version, relevant options can appear under General, System, Additional Settings, Support, Privacy & Terms, or Viewing Information.

What about voice and network isolation?

Owners who do not use hands-free voice features can disable voice control, the “Hi LG” wake word, and AI voice recognition where available. This reduces reasons for microphone monitoring during standby.

Advanced smart-home users can place the television on a guest network or Internet of Things VLAN. That limits its ability to communicate with computers, network storage, cameras, and other sensitive devices if the television is compromised.

The screen being off changes little

A dark television does not necessarily mean every component has stopped working. Standby can leave network services active, while supported models with hands-free voice recognition enabled can continue listening locally for an authorized wake word before the display turns on.

LG disputes claims that its televisions secretly record ambient conversations. The company acknowledges local wake-word detection and device discovery but says optional voice recognition, ACR, and personalized advertising features require user activation or consent.

TL;DR

• A September 2026 investigation found that tested LG webOS televisions performed network discovery and, when ACR was enabled, collected viewing-related data. Researchers also demonstrated microphone and security concerns under specific voice-recognition and elevated-access test conditions.
• LG denies ambient conversation recording and says voice processing requires deliberate activation, while acknowledging that standby can monitor for the “Hi LG” wake word.
• LG’s optional ACR system can fingerprint supported content from sources including Live TV, LG Channels, and HDMI devices, but LG says it does not operate inside third-party apps such as Netflix or YouTube.
• Disconnecting an LG television from the internet provides the strongest privacy measure, while external streaming hardware can replace many online functions.
• Smart-home owners can reduce exposure by reviewing privacy agreements, disabling unnecessary voice features, isolating the television, and keeping software updated.

This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.

If you liked this, you might also like: