Key Takeaways
- LG says it will suspend smart TV apps that keep TVs operating as always-on residential proxy nodes.
- The move follows research claiming more than 42% of apps on LG’s webOS store included residential proxy SDKs.
- LG says it is working with developers and strengthening its app review process.
What happened
LG Electronics USA said it plans to suspend apps for its smart TVs that turn televisions into always-on residential proxy nodes. According to a statement attributed to LG Senior Vice President John Taylor, the company is working with developers to remove the residential proxy option from apps on the webOS platform, and apps that do not comply will be suspended.
The announcement came after security researchers at Spur examined residential proxy software development kits in smart TV apps. In the report described by the source, Spur found that more than 42% of apps available for download on LG smart TVs included SDKs that could turn a television into a proxy node indefinitely. The report also said more than a quarter of apps for Samsung’s Tizen platform had similar components.
LG said its review of those apps is already underway. In an emailed statement quoted by the source, Taylor said LG will continue to strengthen its evaluation process for developer-submitted apps, including apps that incorporate residential proxy SDKs.
The source says residential proxy providers pay app developers to bundle SDKs that turn a user’s device into a proxy node that can be rented to paying customers. Spur’s research reportedly found these components in apps ranging from simple games to screensavers and file utilities.
The source also says Bright Data accounted for a majority of proxy SDKs across both Samsung and LG smart TVs. Bright Data did not respond to requests for comment, according to the source.
Why it matters
The issue sits at the intersection of app-store governance, device security, and user consent. Smart TVs are commonly treated as appliances, not computing platforms that can quietly participate in proxy networks. Spur argued that the concern is not the existence of residential proxy networks themselves, but their scale and placement inside devices that consumers may not expect to be used this way.
The source quotes Spur’s Trevor Sutter as saying that a one-time consent prompt buried in a TV app is not enough to provide meaningful transparency, ongoing control, or platform oversight. Spur also warned that consent can be especially problematic in households where minors or other non-owner users interact with the device.
LG’s response suggests the company sees this as a platform-quality issue as much as a security one. By saying it will suspend noncompliant apps, LG is signaling that residential proxy functionality is no longer acceptable in its smart TV app ecosystem.
What to watch
The immediate question is how quickly LG’s app review and developer cleanup process proceeds. The company said its review is underway, but the source does not specify a timeline for removal or suspension.
It will also be worth watching whether other TV platforms adopt similar restrictions. Spur’s report, as summarized in the source, found residential proxy SDKs on both LG and Samsung smart TV apps, so LG’s move could become a reference point for broader app-store policy.
Another item to watch is whether proxy providers or app developers adjust their SDK practices in response. The source says proxy companies argue they use know-your-customer checks and other countermeasures, but LG’s position suggests that platform owners may increasingly decide that even disclosed proxy functionality does not belong in consumer TV apps.
The source also notes a separate controversy involving LG monitors and a McAfee promotion delivered through software drivers, which may add pressure on the company to show tighter oversight across its software and device ecosystem.
