LG Smart TVs - invasion of privacy?
Discussion
We have all known Smart TVs have been capturing your data, but there's a hell of a lot more to it. From voice capture, questionable encryption of data, network touch and reach and so much more. The fact someone could hack into your TV and listen to you whether or not you have disabled the microphone is quite frankly insane. It even records it in plain text! What about public screens, boardroom screens, Hotel TVs?
I really really hope this blows up. It needs to stop.
https://youtu.be/6IFVTcM28KA?si=5mNNDgAYZYaXoUSt
I really really hope this blows up. It needs to stop.
https://youtu.be/6IFVTcM28KA?si=5mNNDgAYZYaXoUSt
Watched that the day it came out - my jaw was on the floor. It's a very long video but WELL worth watching - incredible that it's had over 3m views so far in just 2 days.
"We own the glass. We own the living room." - LG
It wasn't just that they're recording (sometimes picking up voices from 70ft away!) but that they're also scanning and recording what other devices are on your network as well as scanning neighbouring wifi SSIDs etc. And then to make matters worse they bury everything behind 50,000+ words of legalese and hiding opt-out toggles by scattering them throughout various menus where they're pretty much impossible to find.
And the ACR (Auto Content Recognition) is active all the time - logging even if you disconnect the TV from the internet. If you EVER connect it again (eg. for a firmware update) it then uploads all that information anyway. Shocking.
As it happens I'm in the market for a new TV and happened to see the G6 OLED in-store - it looked stunning. However, having watched that exposé there is NO chance I'll buy an LG TV now. Not only that but I'll be looking VERY carefully at what other manufacturers are doing with regard to snooping and privacy!
"We own the glass. We own the living room." - LG
It wasn't just that they're recording (sometimes picking up voices from 70ft away!) but that they're also scanning and recording what other devices are on your network as well as scanning neighbouring wifi SSIDs etc. And then to make matters worse they bury everything behind 50,000+ words of legalese and hiding opt-out toggles by scattering them throughout various menus where they're pretty much impossible to find.
And the ACR (Auto Content Recognition) is active all the time - logging even if you disconnect the TV from the internet. If you EVER connect it again (eg. for a firmware update) it then uploads all that information anyway. Shocking.
As it happens I'm in the market for a new TV and happened to see the G6 OLED in-store - it looked stunning. However, having watched that exposé there is NO chance I'll buy an LG TV now. Not only that but I'll be looking VERY carefully at what other manufacturers are doing with regard to snooping and privacy!
Edited by Funk on Wednesday 9th September 14:27
It's not just LG, they're all at it, as are the likes of firesticks, Roku's and Apple TVs.
https://youtu.be/IvFu343KNek?si=siMlQfES2PGSbtmq
https://youtu.be/IvFu343KNek?si=siMlQfES2PGSbtmq
It's genuinely scary. I'm looking forward to what's going to come of this. Steve (Gamers Nexus) really doesn't seem to be the type of guy to just lie down and take threats of legal action. This could be huge. I'm hoping for a deep dive on other manufacturers too. I suspect any Smart TV will be doing siimlar sketchy stuff.
I suppose this is the cost of going digital... Who would have thought it
"We know who is in the LG TV house hold, we own the glass, we own the TV"... Literally an LG spokesperson.
I suppose this is the cost of going digital... Who would have thought it
"We know who is in the LG TV house hold, we own the glass, we own the TV"... Literally an LG spokesperson.
phil4 said:
It's not just LG, they're all at it, as are the likes of firesticks, Roku's and Apple TVs.
https://youtu.be/IvFu343KNek?si=siMlQfES2PGSbtmq
You are absolutely correct. I love that the level of this invasion of privacy is now coming to light. Remember, all of these TVs are likely using the same Linux kernel with OS on top. They can do and program anything they like. You are the product now, the TV is their gateway to you.https://youtu.be/IvFu343KNek?si=siMlQfES2PGSbtmq
Edited by Xenoous on Wednesday 9th September 14:33
I had naively thought my pihole would be able stop this sort of thing being able to report back, but apparently they can bypass DNS server too. Apparently blocking port 53 on your router should block it, but there are suggestions that they might be able to use any free wifi they come in to contact with, which sounds like a massive security risk to me if they're able to bridge between networks.
General consensus on other sites I've seen it reported seems to be that should be illegal in Europe so now it's known about might get turned off, but there are no laws in the US that would prevent this kind of thing which is shocking.
General consensus on other sites I've seen it reported seems to be that should be illegal in Europe so now it's known about might get turned off, but there are no laws in the US that would prevent this kind of thing which is shocking.
Edited by RizzoTheRat on Wednesday 9th September 14:38
Further reading here:
https://www.theregister.com/security/2026/09/08/lg...
(For those not familiar with The Register, it's always worth reading the comments sections.
)
M
https://www.theregister.com/security/2026/09/08/lg...
(For those not familiar with The Register, it's always worth reading the comments sections.
)M
Not all of us own smart TVs.
But most of you do, not realising that you've willingly gone and bought your own Telescreens. It's not the government that you need to be worried about, it's the corporations holding their leash.
Been saying this for ages, it's not your phone spying on you, it's your smart fridge, smart TV, smart Air Fryer...
It's also a massive security hole, only a matter of time before there's malware for it, spying on you and sending Spam.
Don't think you're safe because "you've" never connected it to the internet... they've been caught seeking out open WiFi connections before.
But most of you do, not realising that you've willingly gone and bought your own Telescreens. It's not the government that you need to be worried about, it's the corporations holding their leash.
Been saying this for ages, it's not your phone spying on you, it's your smart fridge, smart TV, smart Air Fryer...
It's also a massive security hole, only a matter of time before there's malware for it, spying on you and sending Spam.
Don't think you're safe because "you've" never connected it to the internet... they've been caught seeking out open WiFi connections before.
I'm not sure if I fully understand the issue, but so what if LG are spying on me? Surely all they can do is target specific ads at me (which I can ignore). Or gain an insight into how I use their product. Our phones are probably listening to us all the time, as well as tracking us, but we (mostly) all voluntarily carry one.
I don't really care if a big tech company knows what I'm watching on tele or what I'm talking about or doing in my living room. What are they going to do with that info that can harm me or others?
I don't really care if a big tech company knows what I'm watching on tele or what I'm talking about or doing in my living room. What are they going to do with that info that can harm me or others?
xx99xx said:
I'm not sure if I fully understand the issue, but so what if LG are spying on me? Surely all they can do is target specific ads at me (which I can ignore). Or gain an insight into how I use their product. Our phones are probably listening to us all the time, as well as tracking us, but we (mostly) all voluntarily carry one.
I don't really care if a big tech company knows what I'm watching on tele or what I'm talking about or doing in my living room. What are they going to do with that info that can harm me or others?
Not sure if serious I don't really care if a big tech company knows what I'm watching on tele or what I'm talking about or doing in my living room. What are they going to do with that info that can harm me or others?
xx99xx said:
I'm not sure if I fully understand the issue, but so what if LG are spying on me? Surely all they can do is target specific ads at me (which I can ignore). Or gain an insight into how I use their product. Our phones are probably listening to us all the time, as well as tracking us, but we (mostly) all voluntarily carry one.
I don't really care if a big tech company knows what I'm watching on tele or what I'm talking about or doing in my living room. What are they going to do with that info that can harm me or others?
Fair enough. I personally don’t want my private conversations and any other sounds (!) recorded, transcribed and archived indefinitely but you do you. I don't really care if a big tech company knows what I'm watching on tele or what I'm talking about or doing in my living room. What are they going to do with that info that can harm me or others?
bmwmike said:
Fair enough. I personally don t want my private conversations and any other sounds (!) recorded, transcribed and archived indefinitely but you do you.
What do you think they're going to use recorded, transcribed and archived conversations for that can harm you? Do you have a smartphone or a smart speaker?We are anonymous pound signs to them. They don't care what noises we make or what we're gossiping about, other than how they can turn that into ££££.
xx99xx said:
What do you think they're going to use recorded, transcribed and archived conversations for that can harm you? Do you have a smartphone or a smart speaker?
We are anonymous pound signs to them. They don't care what noises we make or what we're gossiping about, other than how they can turn that into ££££.
And if your TV is hacked because it stopped receiving security updates? All of that data is then accessible, including any future entries. We are anonymous pound signs to them. They don't care what noises we make or what we're gossiping about, other than how they can turn that into ££££.
Privacy is something we should never take for granted. It's ok going 'this will never happen to me', but you simply don't know what is being used and how companies are trading your data.
When your payment card data is being traded and sold to match up content, when the words you speak in your living room are listened to for trigger phrases, when the private conversations you have with your wife are transcribed as plain text into a TV you never knowingly gave consent to do so, that's a problem, no?
Xenoous said:
xx99xx said:
What do you think they're going to use recorded, transcribed and archived conversations for that can harm you? Do you have a smartphone or a smart speaker?
We are anonymous pound signs to them. They don't care what noises we make or what we're gossiping about, other than how they can turn that into ££££.
And if your TV is hacked because it stopped receiving security updates? All of that data is then accessible, including any future entries. We are anonymous pound signs to them. They don't care what noises we make or what we're gossiping about, other than how they can turn that into ££££.
Privacy is something we should never take for granted. It's ok going 'this will never happen to me', but you simply don't know what is being used and how companies are trading your data.
When your payment card data is being traded and sold to match up content, when the words you speak in your living room are listened to for trigger phrases, when the private conversations you have with your wife are transcribed as plain text into a TV you never knowingly gave consent to do so, that's a problem, no?
Is this happening for European/UK TVs? Had assumed it was only happening in American given GDPR regulations and requirements to "opt in" rather than opting out. I have an LG smart TV and from memory there were certainly options when setting up the TV to decline some advertising settings.
I asked google AI about this and this is what it said:
"You are anticipating the exact trajectory of algorithmic surveillance capitalism."
"What you are describing isn't just a dystopian prediction the technological and corporate frameworks to implement predictive, audio-driven dynamic pricing are already being built and tested today. Once advanced AI models are fully integrated into these systems, the loop between real-time ambient listening, psychological profiling, and instant price manipulation will close."
My take from the above:
The goal is to hear what you're going to buy and then change the price instantly to max out the £, they are selling this service, they will also sell your risk profile based upon what you say, it will affect everything from mortgage rates/insurance costs/holiday pricing/food/cars you name it.
"You are anticipating the exact trajectory of algorithmic surveillance capitalism."
"What you are describing isn't just a dystopian prediction the technological and corporate frameworks to implement predictive, audio-driven dynamic pricing are already being built and tested today. Once advanced AI models are fully integrated into these systems, the loop between real-time ambient listening, psychological profiling, and instant price manipulation will close."
My take from the above:
The goal is to hear what you're going to buy and then change the price instantly to max out the £, they are selling this service, they will also sell your risk profile based upon what you say, it will affect everything from mortgage rates/insurance costs/holiday pricing/food/cars you name it.
Edited by Wills2 on Thursday 10th September 09:20
Well I for one will be eagerly awaiting my GDPR class action compo from LG. The pcp lot got a payout, I think we ll see (hope we will see) similar happen to consumer devices that overstep their privacy and security obligations.
I wanted a TV not a spook.
I’ve restricted what internet mine can get to.
I wanted a TV not a spook.
I’ve restricted what internet mine can get to.
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