LG TVs caught spying even when offline or on standby
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来自 YouTube 频道 Gamers Nexus 的报告显示，LG 智能电视正在主动记录并传输关于用户及其家庭的信息，即便设备处于离线或待机状态，这一过程仍会持续。与 Level1Techs 及独立安全研究人员合作测试零售版 LG OLED 机型后，调查发现这些电视会持续扫描本地 Wi‑Fi 网络，识别附近的硬件设备，如智能手机和智能手表。
数据收集不仅限于网络扫描。调查记录表明，电视在待机模式下会通过内置麦克风录制音频。更令人不安的是，即便与互联网断开连接，这类录音也不会停止；电视会先将音频文件保存在本地，待重新联网后立即上传到 LG Ad Solutions 。
除了监控音频和网络环境外，LG 电视还使用称为 Automatic Content Recognition（ACR）的技术。该技术通过音视频采样来精确识别用户正在观看的内容，无论这些内容是通过电视自带的智能界面播放，还是来自连接到 HDMI 端口的外部设备。
调查指出，这种行为并非 LG 一家的孤立问题。包括 RTINGS 在内的其他行业分析同样表明，ACR 技术几乎被所有智能电视厂商普遍采用。跟踪技术的广泛存在，足以促使消费者考虑将智能电视完全断网。
A report from the YouTube channel Gamers Nexus has revealed that LG smart TVs are actively logging and transmitting data about their owners and households, a process that continues even when the devices are offline or in standby mode. By partnering with Level1Techs and independent security researchers to test retail LG OLED models, the investigation uncovered that these television sets are constantly scanning local Wi-Fi networks to identify nearby hardware, such as smartphones and smartwatches.
The data collection extends beyond simple network scanning. The TVs are documented to record audio through their internal microphones while in standby mode. Most disturbingly, this recording process does not stop even when the device is disconnected from the internet. Instead, the TV stores these audio files locally and uploads them to LG Ad Solutions as soon as a connection to the internet is re-established.
In addition to monitoring audio and network surroundings, LG TVs employ a practice known as Automatic Content Recognition, or ACR. This technology uses audio and video sampling to determine exactly what a user is watching, regardless of whether that content is accessed through the TV's native smart interface or via external devices connected through HDMI ports.
The investigation highlights that this behavior is not necessarily an isolated issue unique to LG. While the report focuses on the findings regarding LG devices, other industry analysis, including video coverage from RTINGS, suggests that ACR technology is a common feature across nearly every smart TV manufacturer. This widespread use of tracking technology provides a significant incentive for consumers to consider keeping their smart TVs disconnected from the internet entirely.
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现代的 Smart TV 厂商已经转向一种商业模式：用高利润的数据采集和定向广告来补贴硬件那微薄的利润，这导致了对隐私的侵入性做法越来越普遍。 Automatic Content Recognition（ACR）和持续后台监听等功能常被预装在设备里，往往要求用户在硬件可用之前同意冗长的服务条款。有一种反复出现但未被技术上证实的担忧是，Smart TV 可能会尝试通过搜索并连接开放的公共接入点或利用 Mesh networking 绕过本地网络限制，从而将收集到的数据外泄。企业的数据收集做法——包括出售画像信息和观看习惯——正日益被视为需要立法干预的系统性问题，可能的解决方案包括强制性的 "Dumb mode" 或更清晰的披露标签。
试图规避这些问题的消费者面临巨大障碍：即便是高端机型，通常也要联网或注册账户才能跳过初始设置界面，迫得一些人以产品有缺陷为由退货。禁用智能功能变得越来越困难；有些设备会通过自动更新激进地重新启用语音助理或臃肿软件，促使用户更倾向于选择 Apple TV 、 HTPCs 等专用且非联网的流媒体硬件。 Commercial-grade displays 没有消费级电视那种以广告为驱动的固件，对于重视隐私和观看环境掌控的人来说是可行的替代方案，但更昂贵且功能相对简陋。通过防火墙或 DNS 过滤（如 Pi-hole）进行网络级拦截是一种常见缓解手段，尽管厂商正越来越多地使用 DoH 和直接安装到设备上的软件等复杂方法来规避这些防护。
遥测与广告软件的常态化表明，在隐私敏感的任务中依赖消费级硬件已不再可持续，一些人主张通过物理改造来移除麦克风和 Wi‑Fi 模块。由于消费者整体意识薄弱且多数人更看重便利与价格而非数据主权，要实现有效变革仍然十分困难，结果是对消费者不利的功能逐渐成为市场默认标准。
电视从单纯的广播显示器转变为复杂的数据收集中心，引发了技术导向用户的强烈但分散的抵制。尽管普遍认为当前做法具有掠夺性并需要监管，但对广告支持的收入依赖仍然是厂商延续这些做法的主要动力。市场目前优先考虑廉价的 "Smart" 硬件，因此那些追求隐私的人不得不采用日益复杂的变通手段——例如使用 Commercial-grade displays 、进行硬件改造或部署隔离的网络环境——以维持对客厅空间的掌控。 • Manufacturers of modern smart TVs have shifted toward a business model where low-margin hardware is subsidized by high-margin data collection and targeted advertising, leading to invasive privacy practices.
• Features such as Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) and persistent background listening are frequently bundled with devices, often requiring users to agree to extensive terms of service before the hardware can even function.
• There is a recurring, though technically unverified, concern that smart TVs may attempt to bypass local network restrictions by searching for and connecting to open public access points or utilizing mesh networking to exfiltrate collected data.
• Corporate data collection practices, including the sale of profiling information and viewing habits, are increasingly viewed as a systemic issue that warrants legislative intervention, potentially through mandatory "dumb mode" requirements or clearer disclosure labels.
• Consumers attempting to avoid these issues face significant hurdles, as even high-end models often require internet connectivity or account sign-ups to bypass initial setup screens, forcing some to return devices as defective.
• Disabling smart functionality is increasingly difficult, with some devices aggressively re-enabling voice assistants or bloatware via auto-updates, leading users to prefer dedicated, non-connected streaming hardware like Apple TV or HTPCs.
• Commercial-grade displays, which lack the advertising-driven firmware of consumer sets, serve as a viable but more expensive and functionally spartan alternative for those prioritizing privacy and control over their viewing environment.
• Network-level blocking via firewalls or DNS filtering (like Pi-hole) is a common mitigation strategy, though manufacturers are increasingly using sophisticated methods like DoH and direct-to-device software installation to bypass these safeguards.
• The industry-wide normalization of telemetry and adware on peripherals suggests that relying on consumer-grade hardware for privacy-sensitive tasks is no longer sustainable, with some advocating for physical hardware modification to remove microphones and Wi-Fi modules.
• Effective change remains elusive due to low consumer awareness and the fact that most users prioritize convenience and price over data sovereignty, leading to a market where anti-consumer features become the default standard.
The transition of the television from a simple broadcast display to a sophisticated data-collection hub has sparked a strong, albeit fragmented, resistance from technically inclined users. While there is a consensus that current practices are predatory and warrant regulation, the reliance on ad-supported revenue streams remains a massive incentive for manufacturers to continue these practices. Because the market currently prioritizes cheap, "smart" hardware, those seeking privacy must resort to increasingly elaborate workarounds—such as using commercial displays, hardware modification, or isolated network environments—to maintain control over their own living rooms.