Most smart TVs share the same major problem: they use ACR (Automatic Content Recognition), which tracks what you watch so the company that makes your TV can use that data to serve you more targeted ads. So unless you turn ACR off, there’s a good chance your TV is already spying on you right out of the box. Samsung TVs have ACR, as do Roku, Vizio, Sony, TCL, Hisense, Fire TV, LG, and more.
But LG TVs, in particular, may take ACR and spying on you to a whole other level. A new investigation from Gamers Nexus found evidence that LG TVs were not only analyzing what users were watching, but also scanning their local network and gathering information about connected devices, all without them knowing. Gamers Nexus, working with Level1Techs and other independent security researchers, made these discoveries while analyzing network traffic coming from an LG smart TV.
So not only are LG TVs using ACR to build a digital fingerprint of what you watch that can be used to serve you targeted ads, but they may also be scanning your home network to learn more about you and the devices connected to it. Even more concerning, the investigation found that LG TVs could capture microphone audio while in standby mode, raising some pretty serious privacy concerns. And considering LG says it has sold over 200 million smart TVs worldwide, that’s a lot of people who could potentially be affected.
If you have an LG TV and want to stop it from spying on you and better protect your privacy, here are five settings I recommend adjusting ASAP.
Turn off Live Plus
LG’s version of ACR
For starters, the first thing you’ll want to do to stop your LG TV from spying on you is to turn off a setting called Live Plus, which is LG’s version of Automatic Content Recognition (ACR).
In the Settings menu on its TVs, LG describes Live Plus as a feature that lets the company recognize what’s being displayed on your TV and use that information to offer you “personalized services.” That’s just a really fancy way of saying LG can use that data to serve you targeted ads. And if you’re wondering how the content on your screen gets recognized, ACR does this by taking frequent screenshots and using audio clips.
Here’s how to turn off Live Plus on your LG TV and stop ACR from spying on you, step by step:
1. Open the Settings menu on your LG TV by long-pressing the settings button (the gear icon) on your remote.
2. Navigate to General > System > Additional Settings.
3. Toggle off Live Plus.
Limit ad tracking and turn off ads
Protect your data and eliminate ads entirely
Since LG primarily uses the information it collects about its TV users to serve targeted ads, turning off ad tracking and resetting your TV’s AD ID can severely limit how LG tracks you for advertising and erase the information it has already associated with you.
I also recommend turning off ads entirely on your TV, so you don’t have to deal with them popping up on your home screen again.
First things first, to limit ad tracking on your LG TV, navigate to Settings > Support > Privacy & Terms > Advertising. You’ll then see a toggle for a setting called Limit AD Tracking. Switch this on, and your TV will stop using your data for ad tracking.
Once you’ve turned on Limit AD Tracking (as you can see in the image above), you should see a Reset AD ID button right above it. Select that, and your TV’s AD ID and all the data associated with it will be reset.
Next, to turn off ads altogether on your LG TV, go to Settings > General > System > Additional Settings > Home Settings and disable Home Promotion and Content Recommendations.
Quiz
LG Smart TVs
Trivia Challenge
From OLED breakthroughs to webOS wizardry — how well do you really know LG’s television legacy?
webOSOLEDHistoryFeaturesTechnology
In what year did LG Electronics first launch its Smart TV platform under the ‘LG Smart TV’ branding?
Correct! LG officially launched its Smart TV lineup in 2011, bringing internet connectivity and app access to its televisions. This was part of a broader industry push to turn TVs into connected entertainment hubs.
Not quite — LG introduced its Smart TV platform in 2011. While connected TV concepts existed earlier, 2011 was the year LG formalized and branded the experience, coinciding with a wave of smart TV launches across the industry.
LG acquired the webOS operating system from which company to power its Smart TVs?
Correct! LG acquired webOS from HP in 2013, which had originally obtained it through its purchase of Palm in 2010. LG repurposed the mobile OS into a smart TV platform, debuting it on TVs at CES 2014.
The correct answer is HP, which inherited webOS through its 2010 acquisition of Palm. LG bought the platform from HP in 2013 and transformed it from a struggling mobile OS into the backbone of its Smart TV ecosystem.
LG became the first company to mass-produce large-screen OLED TVs for consumers. What screen size did their landmark 2013 model feature?
Correct! LG’s groundbreaking 55-inch OLED TV, the 55EM9600, made history as the first commercially available large-screen OLED television. Despite its eye-watering price tag of around $15,000, it marked a turning point for display technology.
The correct size was 55 inches — LG’s 55EM9600 launched as the world’s first mass-produced large-screen OLED TV. It was an engineering marvel at the time, though its steep price kept it out of most living rooms initially.
What is the name of LG’s AI-powered voice assistant integrated into its Smart TVs?
Correct! LG’s AI platform is called ThinQ AI, which powers voice commands, smart home integration, and personalized content recommendations across LG’s Smart TV lineup. LG TVs also support third-party assistants like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
The answer is ThinQ AI — LG’s proprietary artificial intelligence platform that underpins voice control and smart home features on its TVs. ThinQ also connects LG’s broader ecosystem of home appliances under one unified AI umbrella.
LG’s QNED TV technology combines quantum dot filters with which other display enhancement technology?
Correct! LG’s QNED technology combines quantum dot and NanoCell filter layers with a Mini LED backlight system, allowing for more precise local dimming zones and improved contrast compared to traditional LED LCD sets.
The right answer is Mini LED backlighting. LG’s QNED TVs layer quantum dot and NanoCell technologies on top of a Mini LED backlight, creating a panel that punches above its weight in contrast and color accuracy compared to standard LCD displays.
Which unique hardware accessory, shaped like a magic wand, does LG provide to navigate webOS on its Smart TVs?
Correct! The Magic Remote is LG’s iconic gyroscopic remote control that lets users point and click on screen like a mouse. It also supports voice commands and scroll wheel input, making webOS navigation feel fluid and intuitive.
It’s called the Magic Remote — LG’s signature motion-sensing remote that uses a gyroscope to let users point at the screen and select items like a cursor. It’s been a hallmark of the LG Smart TV experience for over a decade.
Before the LG name existed, the company was formed from the merger of two South Korean firms. Which two companies merged to create LG?
Correct! LG stands for Lucky Goldstar — the result of a merger between Lucky (a chemicals company) and Goldstar (an electronics firm). The company rebranded to LG in 1995 as part of its push to become a globally recognized consumer electronics brand.
The answer is Lucky and Goldstar. LG is literally an abbreviation of those two company names, and the brand adopted its current identity in 1995. Goldstar was already known for producing televisions before the rebrand elevated LG to global prominence.
LG’s G-series OLED TVs use a special panel mounting design that places the TV flush against a wall with virtually no gap. What is this feature called?
Correct! LG’s Zero Gap Wall Mount system allows the G-series OLED Evo TVs to sit just millimeters from the wall, giving them an art-gallery aesthetic when mounted. The design eliminates unsightly gaps and cable clutter for a sleek, built-in look.
The correct term is Zero Gap Wall Mount, exclusive to LG’s G-series OLED lineup. The innovative mount lets the TV sit almost perfectly flush against the wall, mimicking the look of a framed painting — a concept LG calls its Gallery series design philosophy.
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Adjust the user agreements
You can revisit any user agreements and withdraw consent
When you’re setting up a new smart TV, one of the most annoying parts of the process is going through all the user agreements. And if you’re just trying to get your TV set up so you can get to gaming and streaming, you might understandably skip through everything and agree to it all just to get it over with. But on LG TVs, there are a number of optional user agreements that contain clauses about collecting your data, and you can opt out of them to protect your privacy.
In all honesty, I didn’t remember what I agreed to when I first set up my LG TV, and if you’re in a similar boat, the good news is that you can go back and review the user agreements LG presented you with when you first set up the TV and make changes to them. So, if you want to opt out of any of the optional agreements that involve collecting your data, you can.
To do this on your LG TV, navigate to Settings > Support > Privacy & Terms > User Agreements.
From there, you’ll see several user agreements. I’d recommend briefly reading through each one yourself, but here’s what they cover in a nutshell.
The Viewing Information Agreement allows LG to collect information about what you’re watching, including content from connected devices, using ACR. The Voice Information Agreement grants LG permission to collect information about your voice commands when you use voice control features.
The Internet-based Advertising Agreement allows LG to display ads on your TV, while the Data Partners Agreement lets LG share viewing information with its service provider, Alphonso, for the purpose of “ad measurement and analytics.” Finally, the Marketing Communications Agreement allows your LG TV to display notifications about products and special offers.
To withdraw your consent for any of these agreements, simply hover over it and press the select button on your remote to untick the checkbox. The only agreements you have to accept are the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Once you’ve unchecked any agreements you no longer want to accept, your LG TV will ask if you want to proceed. Select Yes, and your TV will restart to apply the changes.
Delete your personal information
Wipe the slate clean
Next, after you’ve disabled ACR on your LG TV, limited ad tracking, and reviewed the user agreements again, I recommend deleting any personal information that’s still being stored on your TV.
Fortunately, LG makes this surprisingly easy to do, as you just have to navigate to Settings > Support > Privacy & Terms > Delete my Personal Information.
From there, you’ll see options to delete your Viewing Information, Voice Information, and Voice ID. Select each one, then click Delete to erase any of the information your TV has gathered from you.
Turn off Wi-Fi
Transform your LG smart TV into a “dumb TV”
Lastly, if you’re fed up with all this nonsense on your TV, turning off Wi-Fi might be one of the best things you can do for it. Disconnecting your LG TV from Wi-Fi means it can’t display ads or rely on any of the information it’s collected about you in the first place, essentially turning it into a “dumb TV.” If you use your TV’s built-in streaming apps, admittedly, this will be harder to do since you won’t be able to use any of them. But if you only use your TV with devices connected via HDMI, like a PS5, Fire Stick, Apple TV, or Roku, then you really don’t need your TV connected to Wi-Fi at all.
Currently, I use my Roku Ultra, PS5, PC, and Switch 2 with my LG TV, and I never use any of LG’s built-in apps. So I’ve turned Wi-Fi off entirely, which means I don’t even have to worry about what my TV may or may not be doing in the background. And if you want the same peace of mind, I’d highly recommend doing the same, or unplugging your TV from Ethernet if that’s how you have it connected.
To disconnect your LG TV from Wi-Fi, simply go to Settings > General > Network > Wi-Fi Connection and toggle Wi-Fi Connection off.
- Brand
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LG
- Display Size
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42, 48, 55, 65, 77, or 83 inches
- Operating System
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webOS
- Display Type
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OLED
