Gamers Nexus: LG webOS OLED TVs record standby audio, scan home networks, and feed LG Ad Solutions

A 135-minute Gamers Nexus investigation with Level1Techs and independent researchers found retail LG webOS OLED TVs recording clean microphone audio in standby — even offline, uploading it once reconnected — crawling local networks for phones, smartwatches…

Findings covered in security reports dated 2026-09-07 and 2026-09-08 describe a 135-minute Gamers Nexus investigation produced with Level1Techs and independent researchers (described as security researchers in the later reporting), testing retail LG OLED TVs running webOS. Testing showed the TVs capture clean microphone audio while appearing powered down, including while disconnected from the internet, storing it offline and uploading it once connectivity returns. Wireshark packet captures showed the TVs — including the $2,500 OLED65G3PUA and the G5 OLED — scanning local networks for phones, smartwatches, and other unconnected devices, and identifying the user's IP address, nearby Wi-Fi network names and signal strength, neighboring channel numbers, and other devices' internal IP addresses. Packet captures also showed LAN scans and location logging sent to LG Ad Solutions, though it remains unclear whether collected data is transmitted to LG for purposes beyond advertising. Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) fingerprints on-screen audio and video to log viewing across inputs; RTINGS notes such tracking is common across most smart TV manufacturers. LG says the scanning enables device connectivity, content sharing, and smart home features, claims 216 million smart TV sales, and its ad unit LG Ad Solutions markets access to 363 million 'addressable secondary devices' in the US. Separately, undisclosed RCE vulnerabilities in webOS are moving through responsible disclosure, with no CVE identifiers provided. Researchers recommend disconnecting LG TVs and using external streaming devices; LG previously had a Gamers Nexus dispute over data-collecting pop-up ads on monitors. The sources agree on all shared figures; the only variances are phrasing ('addressable devices' vs 'addressable secondary devices', 'Automated' vs 'Automatic' Content Recognition).

• Investigation: 135-minute Gamers Nexus report produced with Level1Techs and independent researchers (later described as security researchers), testing retail LG OLED TVs running webOS; covered in reports dated 2026-09-07 and 2026-09-08.
• Microphone: TVs captured clean mic audio while appearing powered down / in standby, including while disconnected from the internet; audio was stored offline and uploaded once connectivity returned.
• LAN scanning: Wireshark packet captures showed the TVs — including the $2,500 OLED65G3PUA and the G5 OLED — crawling local networks for phones, smartwatches, and other unconnected devices.
• Metadata collected: the user's IP address, nearby Wi-Fi network names and signal strength, neighboring channel numbers, and internal IP addresses of other devices.
• Data flow: packet captures showed LAN scans and location logging sent to LG Ad Solutions; it remains unclear whether collected data is transmitted to LG for purposes beyond advertising.
• ACR (Automatic — also reported as 'Automated' — Content Recognition) fingerprints on-screen audio and video to log viewing across inputs; RTINGS says such tracking is common across most smart TV manufacturers.
• LG's position: network scanning enables device connectivity, content sharing, and smart home features; LG claims 216 million smart TV sales, and LG Ad Solutions markets access to 363 million 'addressable secondary devices' in the US.
• Security: undisclosed RCE vulnerabilities in webOS are moving through responsible disclosure; no CVE identifiers were provided in the reports.