Cybersecurity bounty hunter says Samsung TVs use AI to record audio and screenshots for ads
A cybersecurity researcher discovered that a Samsung TV uses AI to collect audio, screenshots, and telemetry for ad targeting, prompting OpenAI to ban the device.
Reverse engineer and cybersecurity bounty hunter log4j discovered their 2025 Samsung TV was sending detailed user data to improve targeted ads. The researcher was concerned with how specific the ads on their TV were and decided to reverse-engineer the Tizen operating system to see what it was doing.
They found increasingly concerning code in the Tizen OS, including detailed user telemetry from packet logging, audio categorization, screenshots, and cross-device identification for ad tracking. All of this was designed to extract as much user information as possible.
“Finally found a company that truly listens to its customers,”
The researcher posted their findings on X, marking the start of a series of posts sharing more concerning details about the TV's data collection practices.
OpenAI bans the TV
OpenAI has banned the Samsung TV for cyber abuse after learning about its data collection practices. The ban was a direct response to the findings that the device was using AI to record audio and take screenshots for ad targeting.
The incident highlights the potential privacy risks associated with smart home devices. As more devices become connected to the internet, the amount of data they collect and share with third parties continues to grow.
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