Millions of smart television owners may be sharing far more private data than they realize. Following reports from media outlets Gamers Nexus and Level1Techs and allegations by independent security researchers that LG televisions log and upload user data, LG Electronics has publicly defended its privacy practices. The company argued that recent news coverage has created misconceptions about how its smart TVs operate.
In an official statement, LG insisted that its televisions do not continuously record or transmit users' conversations, noting that initial wake-word detection is processed locally on the device. However, technology reviewers noted that the word "continuously" leaves room for concern. Tests conducted by Gamers Nexus demonstrated an LG TV maintaining detailed logs of ambient voice conversations long after its AI assistant should have stopped listening.
LG emphasized that features such as voice recognition, interest-based advertising, and Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) are optional and disabled by default. According to the company, its ACR technology uses audio fingerprinting via an internal audio processor—rather than a speaker or microphone recording—to identify media content without collecting screenshots, video, or voice recordings. Despite these explanations, LG did not address broader concerns regarding how much data it collects, who it shares information with, potential security vulnerabilities, or criticisms regarding misleading privacy settings.