The investigation said the tests revealed capabilities related to content recognition, detection of devices on the home network, as well as results related to handling audio.
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A man walks out of the headquarters of LG Display in Seoul, October 20, 2011. South Korean flat-screen maker LG Display, a key supplier to Apple Inc, posted a wider-than-expected quarterly loss as demand for TVs and PCs hit panel prices and one-off losses weighed.
One of the most prominent aspects that the investigation addressed is Automatic Content Recognition (ACR), a technology used by smart TVs to identify what is displayed on the screen and create a digital fingerprint of the content in order to identify programs, advertisements, and viewing habits.
LG says in its latest statement that its automatic content recognition technology, when available and enabled, uses digital voiceprint technology to recognize content, and does not rely on saving screenshots, recording video, or recording voice conversations.
The company explains that automatic content recognition data can be used to analyze audiences and viewing patterns, and that it may partner with LG for advertising solutions in certain cases to support audience segmentation and targeted advertising based on user consents.
LG notes that automatic content recognition technology is optional, and that activating it requires acceptance of the Viewing Information Agreement. Interest-based and multi-device advertising also requires separate consent.
The television can see the devices around it.
Another aspect raised by the investigation concerns the television's ability to detect devices on the local network. According to the researchers, the televisions they tested were able to identify devices such as phones, computers, printers, and some smart home devices, along with information about nearby Wi-Fi networks and their signals.
LG does not deny the existence of this function, but it places it in a different context, saying that device detection is part of the connectivity functions that allow the TV to recognize, connect to and control external devices, such as gaming consoles, media players and Internet of Things devices, and confirms that this information is not used, according to its stated policy, to build home profiles or to target users with advertising.
The company also distinguishes between device detection and the processing of nearby Wi-Fi network information, which it says may be used – in markets where automatic content recognition technology is available – to help estimate the approximate location of the television and support content recognition services.
Herein lies the most controversial point of the investigation. The researchers said that in their tests they were able to pick up sound through the TV microphone even when the device appeared to be in standby mode. They also indicated the possibility of storing audio data locally during an internet outage and then dealing with it after the connection was restored.
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