GoKawiilLG smart TVs found scanning home networks and tracking devices even when powered off
An investigation by YouTube channels Gamers Nexus and Level1Techs, using packet capture tools and firmware analysis, found that LG TVs including the $2,500 G5 OLED can scan a household's entire local network, detecting phones, smartwatches and other unrelated devices even when those devices are never connected to the TV. Researchers say this behavior is built into the TV's native functionality rather than the result of a security flaw, and can occur even when the TV is turned off.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
LG's advertising arm has boasted of reaching hundreds of millions of 'addressable secondary devices,' raising the possibility that this network-scanning capability feeds targeted ad profiling rather than simple diagnostics. Because the behavior is baked into the TV itself rather than a bug, users have limited ability to opt out, even by treating the TV as a passive display, underscoring how smart home devices can surveil entire households beyond their intended function.
- LG TVs can scan and map every device on a home Wi-Fi network, even unrelated ones like phones and smartwatches.
- This tracking happens through native firmware functionality, not a hack or vulnerability.
- It's unclear how much of this data reaches LG or its ad business, but the capability persists even when using the TV as a basic monitor.
Apple TV 4K streaming box — If you'd rather keep your smart TV off the network entirely, an Apple TV 4K lets you unplug the set's Wi-Fi and stream through a box from a company that leans hard on privacy messaging. It handles the major streaming apps, AirPlay from your iPhone, and gives you one interface instead of your TV maker's ad-driven home screen.
See Apple TV 4K streaming box on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: arstechnica.com, 2026-09-08
Published there as: “LG TV shown capable of tracking user activity, even when offline”
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