LG OLED owner rips microphones and wireless hardware out over spying fears

Q: What privacy risks did Gamers Nexus and Level1Techs say an exploited LG TV could pose on a home or business network?

Gamers Nexus and Level1Techs said an exploited and rooted LG TV could turn into a surveillance endpoint on a compromised home or business network. They pointed to privacy risks including nearby Wi-Fi scanning, device discovery, voice-recognition records, and the possibility of the TV listening to or transmitting conversations. They also examined LG's Automatic Content Recognition system, which can identify what is playing and share related information for audience analysis and targeted advertising.

An LG G6 OLED owner removed its microphones and wireless antennas after a Gamers Nexus investigation raised serious privacy concerns.

Jak Connor

Tech and Science Editor

Published Sep 21, 2026 7:02 AM CDT

1 minute & 15 seconds read time

TL;DR: After Gamers Nexus exposed LG OLEDs' Automatic Content Recognition, nearby Wi‑Fi scanning, and voice‑recording capabilities, a UK owner (tfm55x) tore out his LG G6 OLED's microphones and wireless antennas, saying network isolation and settings weren't sufficient; LG denies continuous recording but confirms ACR audio fingerprinting and data-sharing options.

Voice: Jak ConnorSpeed

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One LG OLED owner has responded to concerns surrounding smart TV data collection by opening his new television and physically removing the hardware.

YouTuber tfm55x dismantled his LG G6 OLED after watching Gamers Nexus' investigation into LG's smart TV platform, which uncovered what could be one of the largest corporate spying networks in recent memory. During the teardown, as documented in a recently posted YouTube video, tfm55x disconnected or removed the television's internal microphones and wireless hardware associated with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

The owner said isolating the television on a private network did not provide enough reassurance, leading him to eliminate the components the good old-fashioned way, ripping them out.

"You don't own the glass on this one. I flatly refuse to pay that much money for a television and then have you snooping," he said, which is a reference to a quote from an LG Ad Solutions official who said, "We have the glass, we own the glass, we own the TV."

A follow-up video from tfm55x showed the modified television switching on and displaying content, confirming its display actually survived the procedure.

Gamers Nexus' investigation, produced with Level1Techs and security researchers, examined LG's Automatic Content Recognition system, nearby Wi-Fi scanning, device discovery, and voice-recognition records. Researchers also demonstrated how an exploited and rooted LG television could become a surveillance endpoint on a compromised home, business network, etc.

LG has since responded and rejected the suggestion that its TVs continuously record or transmit conversations, despite Gamers Nexus clearly demonstrating the TVs are capable of doing so. LG nevertheless confirmed that enabled ACR can identify content playing through live television and HDMI devices using audio fingerprints. Related information may be shared with LG Ad Solutions for audience analysis and, with additional consent, targeted advertising.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Question #1

How can LG G6 OLED owners disable Automatic Content Recognition, Wi‑Fi scanning, and voice features in the TV settings?

The story does not give the menu path for turning them off. It only says those features can be visibly disabled in the LG TV's settings, including Automatic Content Recognition, nearby Wi-Fi scanning, device discovery, and voice-recognition records. It also says that, even after those settings were disabled, Gamers Nexus showed the hardware was still actively listening.

Question #2

Which internal components did tfm55x remove from the LG G6 OLED to cut off spying concerns?

tfm55x removed the TV's internal microphones and the wireless hardware associated with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. He did so after concerns about LG's smart TV data collection.

Question #3

Does isolating an LG OLED on a private network stop LG Ad Solutions or ACR data collection?

No. The owner said isolating the TV on a private network still did not provide enough reassurance, which is why he removed the microphones and wireless hardware instead. The piece also says Gamers Nexus showed the TV could still be actively listening even when settings appeared disabled, and that LG's ACR can identify content and share related information with LG Ad Solutions.

Question #4

What privacy risks did Gamers Nexus and Level1Techs say an exploited LG TV could pose on a home or business network?

Have a question that isn't listed here? Ask below, and TweakBot will answer it.

For tfm55x, disabling those settings and assurances wasn't enough, as Gamers Nexus showcased that even if settings are visibly disabled within the LG TV's settings, the hardware was still actively listening.