Electronics giant LG has been under fire in recent days after a two-hour viral video from Gamers Nexus warned that LG TVs surreptitiously record users’ audio, even when the screen is off, in addition to collecting details about networked devices, location data and wireless network information. Since the video’s release, dozens of reaction videos have followed, with titles like “How to Stop Smart TV Spying” and “LG Isn’t the Only TV Company Spying on You,” from reputable channels like Linus Tech Tips and RTINGS, respectively. In the wake of the video, LG formally denied the claims on several news networks and in a statement on its website. Titled “Understanding Privacy on LG Smart TVs,” LG unambiguously denies the central allegations in the Gamers Nexus video. Mashable Light Speed “LG Smart TVs do not continuously record or stream user conversations. Speech-to-text processing begins only if a user triggers a voice interaction through a supported wake word feature or by pressing the voice (or AI) button on the remote control. The 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. Voice recognition results and Related technical logs may be generated as part of the processing of a voice. These logs are associated with specific voice interactions and do not indicate a continuous recording of conversations that occur outside of an active speech recognition session.” LG states that “speech recognition results can be used to support voice-related functions, but are not loaded later when the TV is disconnected or when connectivity is restored.” The company also noted that some of the more invasive features, such as its Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) feature designed to learn from your viewing habits to offer better content recommendations, are optional. The integrity, as well as the wording of his statement, still remains. If they maintain that “LG smart TVs do not continually record or stream user conversations,” does that mean they do so sporadically? Ultimately, this controversy is another in a long-running series highlighting the need for a more honest conversation about the balance between convenience and consumer privacy. It’s definitely a conversation worth having, but in the future it would be nice if it didn’t happen after a major breach of consumer trust.
