The investigation goes well beyond viewing history

Gamers Nexus worked with Level1Techs and independent security researchers to examine retail LG OLED televisions using network captures and tests around webOS behavior.

The researchers say the TVs scan their local network and can identify nearby devices such as phones and wearables. They also reported logging of surrounding Wi-Fi information and location-related data.

Their investigation links parts of that data ecosystem to LG Ad Solutions, the company's connected-TV advertising business.

The microphone allegation is where the dispute gets serious

Researchers say they observed audio logs being produced under standby conditions and claim some material could remain stored while the television was offline before being transmitted once connectivity returned.

LG rejects the idea that its televisions continuously collect room conversations.

The company says voice data is processed only when a user holds the voice button on the remote or has enabled far-field voice recognition and the television recognizes a wake phrase such as “Hi LG.”

LG also says wake-word detection happens locally. When no wake word is identified, according to the company, that voice data is neither sent to a server nor retained.

A black screen can still mean Always Ready

LG's own support documentation helps explain one source of confusion around the word “off.”

On supported models, pressing the remote's power button can place the television into Always Ready rather than a completely inactive state. The screen can be dark while selected services remain available.

LG explicitly documents voice recognition as one of those services. With the relevant settings enabled, a user can say “Hi LG” while the screen is off and then ask the television to power on.

That does not prove that ordinary conversations are being recorded or uploaded. It does mean the microphone and local wake-word logic must remain active enough to recognize the trigger.

ACR is designed to know what is on the screen

Automatic Content Recognition is a separate and much more established component of the smart-TV business.

ACR systems analyze audio or video samples to identify content being watched. Depending on implementation, that recognition can extend beyond built-in streaming apps to material arriving through HDMI inputs.

The commercial value is straightforward: recognized viewing activity can improve recommendations, audience measurement and targeted advertising.

LG confirms that its TVs offer ACR but says the feature operates on an opt-in basis and that ACR data is not used for advertising when the relevant optional agreement has not been accepted.

LG also acknowledges local-network scanning

The company does not dispute that its televisions look for nearby devices on the network.

LG describes this as normal smart-device functionality needed to discover and connect to compatible hardware.

The privacy argument is therefore not simply about whether scanning exists. It is about how much information is retained, how it is combined and whether a feature intended to find local devices can contribute to a broader household profile.

That distinction matters because LG Ad Solutions markets connected-TV advertising around an ability to understand household exposure across screens and devices.

webOS is asking for increasingly personal context

Recent LG TVs are also adding AI features that explicitly depend on identifying individual users.

AI Voice ID can recognize a person's voice and load personalized recommendations. Current models also advertise AI Search, AI Concierge, AI Chatbot and integrations with services such as Gemini and Microsoft Copilot in supported regions.

Those features can be useful. They also move the television closer to the privacy model of a phone, computer or smart speaker.

Picture quality is no longer the only thing happening behind the glass.

Most of the smart layer can be reduced

Users who do not need hands-free voice control can disable it in webOS voice-recognition settings. Always Ready can also be switched off.

Some LG televisions include a physical microphone switch, which provides a hardware-level option beyond software settings.

ACR is associated with optional consent and settings such as Live Plus on various webOS generations, while personalized-advertising options can also be limited.

Disabling those systems naturally removes or weakens some of the convenience features that rely on them.

LG denies spying, but the privacy question does not disappear

The strongest claims remain contested.

Gamers Nexus says its testing demonstrates audio and network behavior far more intrusive than customers would reasonably expect. LG says claims of ambient conversation recording are false, wake-word detection remains local unless triggered, and advertising-related ACR requires consent.

More independent reproduction across different LG models and webOS versions will be needed to settle exactly what happens under each configuration.

The larger lesson requires less forensic work. A television that recognizes voices, identifies content, discovers network devices, builds personalized profiles and supports an advertising stack deserves to be treated as a computer with a very large screen.