Researchers say LG TVs collect data in standby mode — The Verge
LG TVs may record and transmit data about their owners and their surroundings, including in standby mode, according to the authors of a study by the Gamers Nexus channel. As The Verge reports, the testing was conducted on retail LG OLED TVs with the participation of Level1Techs and independent security specialists.
Network scanning and device data
During an analysis of network traffic, the researchers found that the TVs scanned the local network for nearby devices, including phones and smartwatches. According to them, the devices also collected information on geolocation and nearby available Wi-Fi networks, then transmitted the information to LG Ad Solutions.
The authors of the investigation stated that the TVs could record audio through the microphone in standby mode. After the device was disconnected from the internet, audio files, according to their observations, were stored locally and uploaded after the connection was restored.
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Recognition of viewed content
Separately, the researchers drew attention to Automatic Content Recognition, or ACR. It uses audio and video samples to identify content watched by the user. The technology can analyze not only apps in the TV's smart interface, but also video received through HDMI and other inputs.
At the same time, ACR is not unique to LG TVs: according to the publication, RTINGS examined the use of this technology by nearly all smart TV manufacturers in its video.
