LG monitors installing adware on Windows PCs | Hacker News Reader

LG monitors installing adware on Windows PCs

techradar.com

46 points0xC0ncord18 comments

The author of this article is way too kind to LG.

They write: "I think the terms and conditions are an attempt at corporate ass-covering rather than something sinister: the preceding paragraph talks specifically about when 'a product with voice recognition functionality is used' and it's possible that 'family members, guests, children, and bystanders" might be overheard; if you're choosing to activate AI-based voice features then of course voices are going to be captured and processed in order for those features to work.'"

All of this is sinister. Opting you in by default to being spied upon is sinister. Using Windows updating mechanisms to automatically install adware is sinister. Designing features on your TVs and monitors that will violate eavesdropping and wiretapping laws unless the end user seeks consent from those present around the (some people cannot ever consent!) is sinister.

Note also that this doesn't just affect new monitors and TVs. The Gamer's Nexus video linked in the article (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9uefFYe6bM) also notes that a Windows box with a 3-year-old monitor plugged in suddenly received the adware.

My recommendation for some time gas been get the best value smart TV and don't connect it to the internet. Use devices you trust to play content. Problem solved.

... But this. Is crazy, but has been possible for some time. Years ago I plugged a spare mouse at office in, and it happened to be Razor branded. Within a few seconds I had razor software popup on my screen (at least) asking me to click a button to install their suite. I was horrified.

> you can avoid installing the latest software — but that means you won't get any security updates, which are important

They're not important if nothing can connect to the TV.

> Or you can disable your TV's connection to the internet so it can't send information back, but that obviously makes it less useful

It is far from obvious because smart TVs are nothing more than data collection devices running thoughtlessly designed and user-hostile reskins of the android operating system and running on criminally underpowered hardware.

> [...] and will also disable the voice controls anyway.

Good.

No TV of mine ever has or ever will get a connection to the Internet. It is a dumb display panel whose only job is to try not to corrupt an otherwise perfectly fine HDMI signal from my Apple TV with stupid gimmicks like AI picture enhancement and software frame smoothing/interpolation.

This is also about monitors (as per the article, even the title...). Those are dumb and can't connect to the internet, but as soon as you connect them to a Windows 11 PC software is automatically downloaded.

"As Gamers Nexus reports, some LG monitors appear to be installing adware on Windows PCs without asking for permission: in addition to the LG Monitor App Installer, they also install McAfee Scam Detector."

  > monitors appear to be installing adware on Windows PCs without asking for permission

thats insane, does that mean windows security is basically being bypassed? (as an ex windows user i may ask this already knowing the answer, but anyways...)

> does that mean windows security is basically being bypassed?

Good question. It's probably not, in that the installer and whatever it installs have probably been signed by something official that Windows trusts.

That's just my guessing though.

It'd also be interesting to see what happens with non-Windows based computers. ie macOS and Linux users that plug an affected LG monitor in

It takes advantage of Windows Update feature that automatically installs manufacturer’s software once a supported device is connected. Microsoft takes partial responsibility for allowing this in the first place. Linux and macOS devices are not affected.

Heh. Ubuntu has a mechanism for installing manufacturer drivers too... ;)

Drivers, not software suites and it's opt in and not opt out like on Windows. If you're still unhappy about it then with Linux you have a choice. You can switch to another distro like for example Fedora instead.

I used to take this position, but weirdly enough, the app store version of Jellyfin worked better than the one I had loaded onto a FireTV, so I changed my mind. Might need to revisit that decision.

Full title: 'Whoever came up with this is a massive idiot': LG's gaming monitors and TVs are facing a user revolt, due to seemingly installing adware on PCs — and telling you to warn guests they may be recorded by AI features, to comply with 'wiretapping' laws

That is... quite a title.

I wish we lived in a world where companies like this would be punished but I think they're just going to say oops, effectively blaming it on some intern and moving on without anything happening to them.

How do we know that this is not part of subliminal advertising on tv where all manufacturers do this and not just LG ?? And normally all monitors are connected to internet as it is a desktop pc . But big question how do you know which setting in monitor to turn off adware?? will settings be hidden ?? only accessible by a tech . When you think about it Its no different to big social platforms listening to phone conversations.

Techradar itself has given my phone cancer from all the ads in the middle of the article. Unreadable

Honest question: is there a single trustworthy SK brand? Be it Samsung, LG or Hyundai/Kia, I've only seen some of the worst anti-consumer practices exported from there.

One more W for Apple.

> in addition to the LG Monitor App Installer, they also install McAfee Scam Detector. LG's own app requires full access to all system resources, which potentially includes all your online activity, logins, hardware, location and more.

No device of mine will ever allow McAfee in. The fact that it’s still being legally sold as a security software in 2026 is ridiculous.

One more W for Linux.

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