LG denied allegations that its smart TVs continuously record users’ conversations after a viral video by Gamers Nexus accused the company of covert audio and data collection.. In a statement titled “Understanding Privacy on LG Smart TVs,” LG said speech-to-text processing starts only when a user activates voice interaction through a supported wake word or by pressing the voice or AI button on the remote..
Gamers Nexus said in a two-hour video report that LG televisions record users’ audio even when the screen is off and collect details about networked devices, location data and wireless network information.. LG said audio used for wake-word detection is processed locally on the TV and, if no wake word is detected, the audio is not converted to text, stored or transmitted..
“LG smart TVs do not continuously record or transmit users’ conversations,” the company said. “Voice-recognition results and related technical logs may be generated as part of processing a voice command. These records are associated with specific voice interactions and do not indicate continuous recording of conversations occurring outside an active voice recognition session.”.
LG also said speech-recognition results may be used to support voice-related features but are not uploaded later when the TV is offline or when connectivity is restored.. The company said some data-intensive functions, including its Automatic Content Recognition feature, are optional.
LG said the feature is designed to learn from viewing habits to improve content recommendations.. The Gamers Nexus video triggered reaction videos from other technology channels, including Linus Tech Tips and RTINGS, with titles such as “How to Stop Smart TV Spying” and “LG Isn’t the Only TV Company Spying on You.”.
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