Overview
- The Gamers Nexus investigation, published Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, tested retail LG OLED sets and produced packet captures that show the TVs actively sweeping local Wi‑Fi networks and enumerating phones, laptops, watches, printers and other devices.
- Lab tests found microphones could capture speech while the screen appeared off or the TV was disconnected from the internet, with voice input transcribed to plaintext logs and audio saved locally before uploading when connectivity returned.
- Researchers identified remote‑code‑execution flaws in LG’s webOS and reported them to LG under responsible disclosure, saying a compromised TV could let attackers access room audio or probe other devices on the same network.
- Security analysts and outlets recommend disconnecting or isolating affected LG TVs, disabling voice recognition and ACR features, and applying firmware updates when LG issues fixes.
- The findings tie to LG Ad Solutions’ targeting system and a long‑running industry model that uses Automated Content Recognition to monetize TVs, a practice that has already drawn regulatory scrutiny and prior settlements over consent and opt‑out controls.