A recent controversy has erupted over LG monitors that have been stealthily installing an app, known as the LG Monitor App Installer, which pushes ads for McAfee and other software onto connected computers. The issue has drawn negative attention from users who claim they were not prompted or asked for permission to install the app.
According to a video posted by Gamers Nexus, editor-in-chief Steve Burke said that the publication paid $1,200 for an LG UltraGear 3GX900A-B gaming monitor for testing and replicated the behavior ‘several times’ across ‘multiple’ Windows 11 systems. After LG Monitor App Installer was installed, a pop-up appeared on the screen’s lower-right corner ‘on every single boot,’ Burke said. Most of the time, the pop-up was a McAfee ad.
The publication also reported seeing ads for LG Switch, LG Calibration Studio, LG Dual Controller, and LG Channels on rare occasions. Following Gamers Nexus’ video, a Microsoft representative stated that the LG Monitor App Installer will no longer show pop-up ads for McAfee.
In response to a social media post about the app, Pavan Davuluri, EVP of Windows and devices at Microsoft, said: ‘We’ve connected with the team at LG and as an immediate next step, they have agreed to disable the McAfee pop-up from their app. We appreciate LG working with us toward a shared goal of a better experience for our mutual customers.’
However, the removal of McAfee doesn’t address the problem of a peripheral installing ad-pushing software onto people’s computers. Users have been finding LG Monitor App Installer and its ads on their systems without LG ever showing a prompt or asking for permission.
LG has some of the most expensive computer monitors available. Paying, in some cases, over $1,000 for a monitor that ends up forcing ads onto Windows is disruptive and a privacy concern. Once the app is installed, ‘LG technically possesses permission to use all system resources,’ as well as to ‘collect geolocation, device data, online activity, contacts, user credentials, transactions, and more,’ Burke said.
The incident also brings questions about what Windows permits from peripherals’ companion apps. LG Monitor App Installer’s description on the Microsoft Store states that the app is for users to ‘easily install and use apps supported by your monitor through LG Monitor App Installer’ and lists McAfee as one of those apps.
Further, Microsoft allows Universal Windows Platform device apps ‘to automatically install when the user connects their device to the PC’ if the user hasn’t opted out of Recommended Settings during installation and is connected to the Internet and signed into the Microsoft Store. The page reads: ‘The automatic installation feature does not provide a notification to the user when the app is installed.’
Some users may find this experience confusing and frustrating, giving your app a bad rating.
Other hardware vendors have been criticized for their devices automatically installing unwanted software when connected to a computer. Examples include Razer (gaming peripherals), Logitech (gaming and productivity peripherals), Asus (motherboards), and Gigabyte (motherboards).
Considering that most monitors don’t necessarily require a companion app and can be rather expensive, the forcible installation of LG Monitor App Installer may seem particularly egregious.
Ars Technica reached out to LG about the purpose of LG Monitor App Installer, affected monitors, and privacy concerns. A company representative acknowledged receipt of the questions but didn’t provide a response ahead of publication.
Citing user complaints, Gamers Nexus listed the following monitors as auto-installing LG Monitor App Installer onto PCs:
* LG UltraGear 3GX900A-B gaming monitor
Source: Original article