Researcher claims Samsung smart TVs run 'always on voice' audio collection, using soundbars as microphones
A reverse engineer using the handle log4j claims in an X thread that their 2025 Samsung smart TV collected room audio without consent through a package called "always on voice". The researcher says the software logs events such as dogs barking and babies crying and reports counts back to Samsung. On TVs without microphones, it allegedly searches for connected soundbars or Bluetooth microphones to listen through instead. The claims have not been independently verified and Samsung does not appear to have commented.
Detalhes técnicos
- log4j alleges the TV also collects geolocation data, maps local networks and runs a service that analyzes local network traffic.
- A region-specific neural network allegedly analyzes viewing habits, including YouTube videos watched, ads skipped and playback progress.
- log4j says turning ACR off in the preferences menu should not be assumed to disable ACR telemetry, because some checks are incorrectly implemented or not enforced.
- Context: Samsung markets Pet Care and Family Care features that use on-device AI to detect barking and crying, which does not confirm the claims about the package or its reporting. Samsung settled with the Texas Attorney General earlier in 2026 over ACR consent. A New York class action filed in January was voluntarily dismissed in July, and a separate California class action was filed in October 2026. In 2015, EPIC filed an FTC complaint over Samsung SmartTV voice recording.
Remediação
- Turn off ACR, internet-based advertising and voice recognition where possible.
- log4j suggests disconnecting the TV from Wi-Fi for immediate peace of mind, at the cost of internet features.
- Alternatively, use an Apple TV or a modifiable Android TV box with open-source software.
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Researcher claims Samsung smart TVs run 'always on voice' audio collection, using soundbars as microphones
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A reverse engineer using the handle log4j claims in an X thread that their 2025 Samsung smart TV collected room audio without consent through a package called "always on voice". The researcher says the software logs events such as dogs barking and babies crying and reports counts back to Samsung. On TVs without microphones, it allegedly searches for connected soundbars or Bluetooth microphones to listen through instead. The claims have not been independently verified and Samsung does not appear to have commented.
Technical Details
- log4j alleges the TV also collects geolocation data, maps local networks and runs a service that analyzes local network traffic.
- A region-specific neural network allegedly analyzes viewing habits, including YouTube videos watched, ads skipped and playback progress.
- log4j says turning ACR off in the preferences menu should not be assumed to disable ACR telemetry, because some checks are incorrectly implemented or not enforced.
- Context: Samsung markets Pet Care and Family Care features that use on-device AI to detect barking and crying, which does not confirm the claims about the package or its reporting. Samsung settled with the Texas Attorney General earlier in 2026 over ACR consent. A New York class action filed in January was voluntarily dismissed in July, and a separate California class action was filed in October 2026. In 2015, EPIC filed an FTC complaint over Samsung SmartTV voice recording.
Remediation
- Turn off ACR, internet-based advertising and voice recognition where possible.
- log4j suggests disconnecting the TV from Wi-Fi for immediate peace of mind, at the cost of internet features.
- Alternatively, use an Apple TV or a modifiable Android TV box with open-source software.