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LG TVs caught spying even when offline or on standby

MrGuvernment

MrGuvernment

Fully [H]
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Aug 3, 2004
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We know why TVs are so cheap now, they all spy, and while some of us wont even connect them to the internet, for those who do...now this

bypass: https://archive.is/zmCOd

https://www.theverge.com/tech/991190/lg-tv-spying-standby-recording-wi-fi-scanning-gamers-nexus

LG smart TVs are almost constantly logging and uploading data about owners and their homes, even when offline or on standby mode, according to a new report from YouTube channel Gamers Nexus. The company’s TV sets scan Wi-Fi networks for nearby devices, record audio logs through their microphones, and use audio and video sampling to recognize exactly what you’re watching from across the TV inputs.
Gamers Nexus partnered with fellow YouTubers Level1Techs and independent security researchers for the investigation, which involved testing retail LG OLEDs. Packet captures showed the TVs scanning the local area network for nearby hardware like phones or smartwatches, as well as logging location data and details of nearby Wi-Fi networks, and feeding the information back to LG Ad Solutions. Perhaps more concerningly, the TVs were capable of recording microphone audio when in standby; this continued even after the TV was disconnected from the internet, with audio files stored offline and uploaded once a connection was restored.
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The final piece of the puzzle is Automatic Content Recognition (ACR), tech that uses audio and video data to figure out what you’re actually watching, examining the apps you use through the TV’s own smart interface and the content you connect via HDMI and other ports. ACR isn’t just an LG issue though: A new video from RTINGS digs into how ACR is used by almost every smart TV manufacturer to figure out what you watch.

​

This isn’t LG’s first brush with Gamers Nexus. In July this year, the channel flagged that some LG monitors were automatically installing an app that collected device data and ran pop-up ads for LG’s other apps and even McAfee antivirus. The public pressure from that video prompted an intervention from Microsoft, and ultimately led to LG disabling the pop-up ads.
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This is so egregious. But really, any company selling anything they can convince you to connect to WiFi can do this same thing. Just hide it all behind some terms and conditions you have to accept.
 
polonyc2 said:
LG Isn't the Only TV Company Spying on You


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvFu343KNek
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I assumed it was all. I typically prefer LG hardware, but I might reconsider on my next tv if there's one out there that doesn't do stupid things like this.

My last tv bought less than a year ago was like $150 delivered for a nice 48" set. They gotta make money somewhere so I find it hard to hate them too much at that price point.
 
SticKx911 said:
I assumed it was all. I typically prefer LG hardware, but I might reconsider on my next tv if there's one out there that doesn't do stupid things like this
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I accept it as being something you can't really fully get rid of...I disable all the camera features on my Sony A95L, never use WiFI (only hard wired Ethernet) and disable as much of the spying in the TV settings but I know it's not going to eliminate everything
 
I recently got a Google 4k streamer because I was getting fed up with Samsung's UI. Disconnected the TV from. The internet. Google already has all my info so meh.
 
I disabled the network on my LG and put a mac block on it as well. I don't quite have the infrastructure to "isolate", so, just prevent from getting on the network.

Regardless of "how big the spying boat is", what makes LG especially targeted is their arrogant responses. "We own the glass..."

Hoping that LG becomes "the company" that stops doing the crap, but so far, looks like they don't care at all.
 
Prince Valiant said:
Yet another reason to never do so. Thanks for the heads up.
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Problem is that even if you never connect it to the internet, it will still try to send "telemetry" via possible open Wifi networks near you.

If I understood correctly, it is probably possible for them to form temporary ad hoc connections too. You may not have the device connected to the internet but your neighbours LG TV probably is and therefore can bypass the need for an open wifi network completely. Your neighbours TV delivers the "telemetry" package for you.
 
MaZa said:
Problem is that even if you never connect it to the internet, it will still try to send "telemetry" via possible open Wifi networks near you.

If I understood correctly, it is probably possible for them to form temporary ad hoc connections too. You may not have the device connected to the internet but your neighbours LG TV probably is and therefore can bypass the need for an open wifi network completely. Your neighbours TV delivers the "telemetry" package for you.
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Just turn WiFi off in network settings besides never connecting it to a network
 
How does the security of things like Amazon Fire sticks compare? My mom insists on having all the dumb apps on her Roku tv (which I knew was spyware the second I set it up and and it asked what room it's in) so ideally there is a normie friendly way to get them while leaving the tv off the network. Probably nothing worth e-espionaging at her house, but who knows my uncle got his accounts hacked into after making the password to his *smart* house wifi "Password1"
 
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MaZa said:
If you can trust that the said setting does what it says... 😁
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You can use WiFi analyzer apps to determine/vefiry that - funny Gamers Nexus et all specifically only ever used/said "even if not connected" and never mentioned "turn the WiFi off" - at least from what I saw/watched/remember :rolleyes:
 
I saw this pop up on Gamers Nexus the other day, but the damn video is 2 hours and 15 minutes long, so I hadn't had a chance to watch it yet.

I guess I wonder how they are beaming data to the mothership if the TV is permanently offline?

Are they using things like Amazon Sidewalk/helium and other low power mesh networks or your neighbors Xfinity Wifi sharing, etc. to surreptitiously get online and upload the data it has collected on you? Or does it just store shit tons of data and patiently wait for you to some day fuck up and plug it in "just for a firmware update" or something like that?
 
MaZa said:
If you can trust that the said setting does what it says... 😁
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Well, at least near me there are no unsecured wifi networks, so there is that. But yeah, it is still a problem.

I suppose you can find where in the device the wifi antenna is and somehow disable it, hopefully shortening the range sufficiently that this isn't a problem, but yeah...

We live in dystopian times.

I've been saying this for 15 years, but no one seems to listen or care.
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
I saw this pop up on Gamers Nexus the other day, but the damn video is 2 hours and 15 minutes long, so I hadn't had a chance to watch it yet.

I guess I wonder how they are beaming data to the mothership if the TV is permanently offline?

Are they using things like Amazon Sidewalk/helium and other low power mesh networks or your neighbors Xfinity Wifi sharing, etc. to surreptitiously get online and upload the data it has collected on you? Or does it just store shit tons of data and patiently wait for you to some day fuck up and plug it in "just for a firmware update" or something like that?
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LG aren't currently sending anything out if the TV is offline.

But LG (or any other TV) could in theory have a wifi connection you cannot disable that connects to something like xfinity wifi sharing. This is probably viably profitable if there isn't consumer backlash.

Also the TV collects data as long as it has a power source, then uploads the data when it comes online. So you're not safe from spying just because you have it turned off or temporarily disconnected from the internet.
 
sharknice said:
LG aren't currently sending anything out if the TV is offline.

But LG (or any other TV) could in theory have a wifi connection you cannot disable that connects to something like xfinity wifi sharing. This is probably viably profitable if there isn't consumer backlash.

Also the TV collects data as long as it has a power source, then uploads the data when it comes online. So you're not safe from spying just because you have it turned off or temporarily disconnected from the internet.
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We are all going to have to start turning our homes into faraday cages...

1788901549232.png
 
sharknice said:
Also the TV collects data as long as it has a power source, then uploads the data when it comes online. So you're not safe from spying just because you have it turned off or temporarily disconnected from the internet.
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How much storage does it have to store data (and how long will it let it save stuff) + how often (and why) are you connecting if you aren't connected in the first place? No one (sane, at least) is checking for firmware updates every week, month even. Even then - do a FW download from the site + USB upgrade and you bypass connecting to check for FW + wipe any saved telemetry out altogether.
 
I'm curious. Do they do the same thing in the EU? Specifically Germany?
 
kram182 said:
How much storage does it have to store data (and how long will it let it save stuff) + how often (and why) are you connecting if you aren't connected in the first place? No one (sane, at least) is checking for firmware updates every week, month even. Even then - do a FW download from the site + USB upgrade and you bypass connecting to check for FW + wipe any saved telemetry out altogether.
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Depends on the TV model. The one they tested only had 4GB. LG only uses the temporary memory so they don't degrade the storage device. So they could store way more if they wanted.

Also these TVs can do text to speech. They could store years conversations as text. And the microphone has really good range.


Another concern is even if your TV wasn't spying on you by default it could be hacked. Of course so could your phone or numerous other devices that have microphones and internet connections nowdays.
 
MaZa said:
Problem is that even if you never connect it to the internet, it will still try to send "telemetry" via possible open Wifi networks near you.

If I understood correctly, it is probably possible for them to form temporary ad hoc connections too. You may not have the device connected to the internet but your neighbours LG TV probably is and therefore can bypass the need for an open wifi network completely. Your neighbours TV delivers the "telemetry" package for you.
Click to expand...
I think I'm likely too far from any neighbors for short range connections but, despicable nonetheless.
 
MaZa said:
Problem is that even if you never connect it to the internet, it will still try to send "telemetry" via possible open Wifi networks near you.

If I understood correctly, it is probably possible for them to form temporary ad hoc connections too. You may not have the device connected to the internet but your neighbours LG TV probably is and therefore can bypass the need for an open wifi network completely. Your neighbours TV delivers the "telemetry" package for you.
Click to expand...
Is this actually for real or just hypothetical?

​

 
vegeta535 said:
But are they actually doing it?
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Since "they own the glass", if they aren't "doing it", they might implement it. It's like LG decided, "what's the opposite of privacy?" And made it their master plan.
 
vegeta535 said:
But are they actually doing it?
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Don't ask that - just buy Gamers Nexus DVDs and mod mats so they can recoup the costs he complained 500 times about for all the work they did that oddly didn't even entail doing WiFi analysis to see if the WiFi was off when toggled so, for as much and how supposedly sophisticated it all was
 
OK hear me out.
We all band together and create the brand [H] Appliances.

They are the dumbest appliances on the market; everything is a physical switch, a mechanical timer. No unnecessary electronics for anything; everything from Washers to Toasters and TVs for shits and giggles. No built-in computers, no Wifi, no Bluetooth, no touch screens, just the most bare ass basic thing that will get the job done.
 
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GoldenTiger said:
Any source? I may have to look into disconnecting the mic physically if possible in my new TV if this is true :(. Just what I want to do with my new 85" toy!
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A small piece of cardboard and electrical tape will handle it and won't void the warranty.

The microphones aren't that good, and the hole you need to cover up is only a few mm in diameter.
 
Lakados said:
A small piece of cardboard and electrical tape will handle it and won't void the warranty.

The microphones aren't that good, and the hole you need to cover up is only a few mm in diameter.
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Yeah, that's what I was thinking might work. Good suggestion and glad to see it echoed. :)
 
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