As smart home technology gains wider acceptance among Nigerian consumers, LG Electronics has assured users of its Smart TVs that they retain control over privacy-related features, including voice recognition, content recognition and personalised advertising.

The company said the growing sophistication of connected television technology had made privacy, data protection and cybersecurity increasingly important considerations for consumers seeking convenience and personalised entertainment.

LG, in a statement, said its Smart TV ecosystem was designed to give users the freedom to decide which features they want to activate, while ensuring that core television functions remain available regardless of whether optional privacy-related services are enabled.

According to the company, features such as voice recognition, Automatic Content Recognition (ACR), personalised recommendations and interest-based advertising require user consent before activation.

It added that consumers could review permissions, adjust their settings or withdraw consent through their television settings.

“Technology should work for people, not the other way around,” LG Electronics said, stressing that its objective was to provide meaningful customer choice while delivering personalised entertainment experiences.
On voice recognition, the company said the feature was disabled by default and would only become active when a customer deliberately enabled it.

It explained that compatible models could be activated either by pressing the microphone button on the remote control or by enabling hands-free voice control.
LG further stated that its Smart TVs did not continuously record conversations or store ambient household discussions.

According to the company, when hands-free voice control is enabled, the television listens locally for a specific wake word, while audio that does not contain the wake word is processed on the device and immediately discarded without being stored or transmitted.

It added that once a voice command was completed, the voice recognition session automatically ended.

On content recognition, LG said its Smart TVs offered an optional Automatic Content Recognition feature designed to identify content being viewed from supported sources to improve content discovery and viewing experiences.

The company stressed that ACR was turned off by default and required users to accept separate agreements before it could be activated.

It said the technology does not collect screenshots, screen recordings, video captures or voice recordings, but relies on audio fingerprinting to recognise content without storing visual or audio media from users’ televisions.

LG also stated that personalised advertising services require separate user approval, giving consumers control over whether their viewing information could be used for such purposes.

The company said the issue of privacy was becoming particularly relevant as Nigerian households increasingly connected televisions to gaming consoles, streaming devices, decoders, home entertainment systems and other smart appliances.

It explained that its device discovery technology enables Smart TVs to recognise and communicate with compatible devices, thereby simplifying connections within the home entertainment environment.
LG maintained that information gathered to facilitate device connectivity was used for that purpose and not for household profiling or targeted advertising without additional consent.

On cybersecurity, the company said it operates a global Bug Bounty Programme and works with independent security researchers to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.

It also urged consumers to install the latest software updates to maintain the security and performance of their devices.
According to LG, eligible television models currently receive security updates for up to five years from the initial release of the applicable webOS platform version.
The company said the approach was aimed at providing consumers with longer-term protection as connected devices became increasingly integrated into everyday life.
With Nigerians increasingly using smart televisions for streaming, live sports, local content, gaming and other forms of connected entertainment, LG said consumers should be able to benefit from technological innovation without losing control over their personal preferences and privacy.

The company reaffirmed that it would continue to strengthen privacy safeguards, improve security measures and simplify customer controls across its Smart TV ecosystem.

It said its objective was to provide entertainment technology that combines innovation and personalisation with transparency, security and consumer choice.