LG Denies TV Data-Collection Claims as Privacy Experts Say Denial Leaves Full Picture Unclear

The Gamers Nexus investigation found that LG sets analyzed viewing habits and also collected voice recordings, details of networked devices, location data and wireless network information, TechRadar reported. That data is useful to advertisers, and the report said it appears to be the primary reason LG has built the tracking technology into its TVs. Online reaction included Reddit users calling the practice “extremely creepy” and vowing never to buy LG products again.

LG said the claims are not true. In a statement to TechRadar, the company said LG TVs process voice data only when the voice button on the remote control is pressed and held, or when a wake word such as “Hi LG” is recognized after the user has activated the Far-Field voice recognition feature. LG said the TVs do not collect or record ambient conversations in other instances. If the wake word is not recognized, no voice data is transmitted to the server; wake word detection is processed locally on the device and immediately deleted, according to LG. The company also said the ability to scan for and connect to nearby devices on the same network is a standard function commonly available on smart TVs and smart home devices. LG said the Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) feature, which tracks what viewers watch and serves personalized recommendations, services and advertisements, is provided on an opt-in basis. If a user does not consent to the applicable optional agreement, ACR data is not used for advertising purposes, LG said.

Privacy experts said the statement does not resolve broader concerns. Anna Maria Mandalari, an associate professor at University College London and co-author of a 2024 study on ACR on Samsung and LG TVs, said LG’s statement “does not address the full privacy picture.” Her research demonstrated that ACR-related communication occurred when an opted-in LG television displayed linear television and content from HDMI-connected devices. That means ACR is not confined to the television’s own applications and can operate when the TV is effectively being used as an external display for another device, such as a laptop or gaming console, she said. Mandalari said ACR reporting to advertisers stops when users opt out, based on her testing, but she said questions remain about whether LG TV owners understand their choices and how ACR data might be used beyond advertising. She pointed to LG’s wording that, without consent, ACR data is not “used for advertising purposes.” That is not necessarily the same as saying no ACR data is collected or processed for any purpose, she said. LG would need to clarify the complete data lifecycle, including what is collected, whether anything is retained, where it is transmitted and all the purposes for which it may be processed, she concluded.

Lillian Edwards, a professor of law, innovation and society at Newcastle University and a leading academic in internet law, said people often consent to things they do not fully understand during a speedy setup because they want to get the device working. She said this might not match the high GDPR standard of consent, which requires consent to be “freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous.” Consent also has to be a positive indication—opt-in rather than opt-out—though LG claims that is what it does, Edwards said. She added that consent should be asked for in a manner clearly distinguishable from other matters. TechRadar reported that it spoke to four privacy experts and posed the question of whether LG’s technology is standard practice or whether users should disconnect their TVs from the internet.