LG smart TVs running webOS are capturing audio through built-in microphones in standby mode and continually scanning local home networks for connected devices. Investigations by Gamers Nexus and Level1Techs reveal that the gathered telemetry feeds LG’s advertising division, raising serious privacy questions as security researchers urge users to disconnect their screens from the internet.
Consumers buy modern OLED televisions expecting pristine picture quality and smart streaming features, but recent technical findings suggest those displays are running a second, more intrusive job. Through detailed packet captures and bench tests, security researchers have documented that LG smart TVs perform aggressive network reconnaissance and log audio while the display appears turned off.
How LG Smart TVs Conduct Network Reconnaissance on Home Routers
When an LG television goes dark, its software reportedly begins cataloguing every connected gadget in the household. Network analyses using Wireshark packets show that flagship models like the LG OLED G5 continuously scan the local area network, mapping out smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, network switches, printers, and HVAC equipment.
This automated discovery reaches well beyond the television itself. During testing, investigators found that the hardware detected devices belonging to staff members who were not even involved in the project. As Gamers Nexus investigator Steve Burke noted, the system crawled our entire network and found dozens of unrelated devices, including smartwatches and phones of our staff who didn’t even know we were working on this.
The reconnaissance also sweeps up the names and signal strengths of neighboring Wi-Fi networks. This data flows directly into LG Ad Solutions, the company’s targeted advertising division. According to marketing disclosures from LG Ad Solutions, the division claims access to 363 million secondary addressable devices across the United States—hardware owned by consumers that simply shares a router with an LG screen. Combined with Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) tracking that fingerprints on-screen audio and video across every HDMI input, a single TV can exchange roughly 4GB of telemetry data each month.
Microphone Activity and Offline Storage in Standby Mode
Beyond network mapping, the investigation revealed that standby mode does not disable the television’s internal listening capabilities. Bench tests demonstrated that built-in microphones continue operating even when the screen is dark and the remote control is put away.
Crucially, cutting off internet access does not halt the collection. When researchers disconnected a test unit from its Ethernet cable and generated audio nearby, the television stored the voice input locally. The moment network connectivity returned, the stored files uploaded automatically to external servers.
This behavior indicates that the data collection operates as a persistent logging system rather than a live-streaming process. Similar audio capture capabilities extend to compatible soundbars and external microphones within the ecosystem, expanding the potential monitoring footprint inside the home.
Security Vulnerabilities and Recommended User Mitigations
Adding to the privacy concerns, the investigation highlighted remote code execution vulnerabilities within webOS that are currently undergoing responsible disclosure. While these flaws do not confirm active malicious exploitation, they represent an additional attack surface that could potentially allow compromised displays to be abused as listening devices.
However, the LG findings extend past content fingerprinting into ambient monitoring of private households.
The team from Gamers Nexus advises users to disconnect LG smart TVs from the internet entirely and route streaming services through external hardware such as Apple TV, Roku, or Fire TV sticks.
