Your smart TV hangs on the wall in your living room, pride of place. Most folks, myself included, don’t really think about it beyond what I want to watch in the evening, once my hands are finally unglued from a keyboard. You wouldn’t be wrong to do exactly the same after a long old day.
But the news that over 200 million LG TVs were reportedly hoovering up data while in standby mode really got me thinking about how else my smart TV could be breaching my privacy without me realizing. And then it dawned on me: my model has an integrated camera!
Your living room is a goldmine of private info
Everything in camera view could be up for grabs
Take a moment to imagine what your smart TV with a camera sees. It’s pointed directly at the space where you relax, hang out with family, entertain guests, and maybe even work from home. If that camera is active without your knowledge, it could be silently recording personal moments you’d never want shared.
To put it in perspective, your TV camera can glimpse financial documents on your coffee table, see who comes and goes, pick up on what brands you use, or even notice that expensive tech setup in the corner. In the wrong hands — whether it’s a hacker, a rogue app, or an overreaching data policy — that footage could be used to build a surprisingly detailed profile about you.
Worse yet, you may not even realize your TV has a built-in camera. On many models, the camera is subtly embedded above or below the screen, so discreet that you’d probably miss it unless you’re actively looking. A closer inspection or a peek at your TV’s manual or settings should tell you for sure. And if your set does come with a built-in camera, it’s totally fair to wonder: what’s it even there for? Some TVs use it for stuff like video calls, facial recognition, or waving at the screen to change the volume—but to be honest, most of us never touch those features anyway.
Yes, your smart TV camera can be hacked
Everyone’s favorite friendly security agency proved it
If the thought of someone spying on you through your TV sounds a bit like sci-fi, well, it’s actually not that far off. Back in April 2017, WikiLeaks dropped a bombshell with its sixth “Vault 7” release, called “Weeping Angel” (named for a monster in the TV show Doctor Who). It was a joint creation by the CIA and Britain’s MI5, designed to hijack early smart TVs and turn them into covert surveillance tools. This revelation showed that even government agencies were actively developing tools to spy on people through their televisions.
It even goes beyond spy agencies. In 2018, Consumer Reports discovered that smart TVs from brands like TCL, Samsung, and others that use the Roku TV smart-TV platform could be remotely manipulated to change channels, adjust volume, and even install apps, all happening without the owner having a clue.
Fast-forward a few years to 2024, and researchers at Bitdefender uncovered fresh vulnerabilities (CVE-2023-6317 through CVE-2023-6320, if you like technical receipts) in LG smart TVs running webOS 4 to 7. These flaws could let someone bypass all security and take full control of the device. LG was in the news a year later, too, for nearly the same sort of issue, as reported by Cyber Security News. A vulnerability affecting numerous models enabled “unauthenticated attackers to gain root access, install malicious applications, and completely compromise the television.”
The FBI also warned about risks related to smart TVs in 2019. According to Business Insider, the risks ranged from prank-level annoyances like forced channel changes to far more sinister stuff, like bad actors hijacking your TV’s camera and mic to spy on you at home.
When federal law enforcement agencies issue warnings about your TV, it’s time to take the threat seriously.
So, how do you know if your smart TV is compromised?
Infected smart TVs aren’t exactly the norm
Smart TVs don’t exactly scream when something goes wrong, but they do sometimes whisper. If your camera light turns on unexpectedly or stays on longer than usual, that’s a big red flag. The same goes for sudden performance slowdowns, apps opening on their own, or the TV turning itself on or off.
You also want to watch for mystery apps. If something unfamiliar pops up on your home screen or tucked away in your app list — and you know you didn’t install it (and no one else fesses up to it) — that may be a strong clue that someone or something may have remote access to your TV.
Another subtle sign is seeing a spike in data usage from your TV, even when you’re not streaming anything. That could mean something (or someone) is using it to send or receive information in the background.
These signs don’t always confirm an intrusion, but if something feels off, it’s worth investigating further. Regardless, one simple precaution can go a long way, and it’s one you can take right now.
Covering your smart TV camera is the easiest fix
The easiest way to prevent your TV from seeing what you’re up to is to cover the camera. Unlike software-based protections that can be bypassed or become outdated, a physical barrier is foolproof. It doesn’t require updates, won’t slow down your TV’s performance, and costs virtually nothing. It’s the one method that can’t be remotely defeated.
A piece of opaque tape, a Sliding Webcam Cover, or even a sticky note will do the trick, all of which you can find on Amazon for under $5. Many people already do this with their laptops and tablets, so don’t feel weird slapping one on your smart TV, either.
Unlike your phone or computer, you probably don’t rely on your TV’s camera daily or even weekly. So, keeping it covered won’t mess with anything. And if someday you really do need it (for a video call, maybe, or some rare gesture control), you can just peel it back.