An independent security researcher analysed the software on their own Samsung television and claims to have found features for collecting data on content viewing, audio and on-screen display. The investigation, they state, began after noticing unusually precisely personalised ads on their 2025 Samsung television.
They decided to analyse the device's firmware to determine what information is collected and how it is processed. By analysing Samsung's television operating system, Tizen, they claim to have discovered features that could enable the tracking of user habits. According to their findings, tracking could include content viewed, interactions with ads and audio processing via connected devices.
During the analysis, they allegedly found software components linked to tracking viewed content, logging user interactions and device identification for advertising purposes. According to the researcher, certain system components may use the microphones of connected devices, such as soundbars, even when the television does not have its own microphone. The use of AI models for analysing user behaviour is also mentioned, including tracking of viewed videos and ad interactions.
Another researcher attempted to verify some of these claims, recording brief microphone activation on their own modified television. However, their testing did not show continuous audio recording. The second researcher also warned that the results may not be representative of televisions with factory settings.
It is not yet known whether Samsung has confirmed or denied the findings, nor whether the company plans to launch its own investigation. The claims therefore relate to the analysis of a single device and have not been independently confirmed on other models.
