Microsoft responds to LG monitors installing McAfee ads on Windows

微软回应 LG 显示器在 Windows 上推送 McAfee 广告事件

LG is reportedly pulling a McAfee pop-up ad from a controversial app that some of its monitors have stealthily installed on connected computers. 据报道，LG 正在从一款备受争议的应用程序中移除 McAfee 弹窗广告。该程序此前被发现会悄悄安装在连接了 LG 显示器的电脑上。

The app, LG Monitor App Installer, installs itself through a Windows Update alongside monitor driver updates. LG Monitor App Installer then pushes ads for a 30-day free trial for McAfee, as well as other software, via a pop-up on affected systems, multiple users have reported. 多名用户反馈称，这款名为“LG Monitor App Installer”的应用程序会通过 Windows 更新随显示器驱动程序一同自动安装。随后，该程序会在受影响的系统上通过弹窗推送 McAfee 30 天免费试用版及其他软件的广告。

This has drawn negative attention recently, with complaints surfacing on Reddit and a subsequent video from YouTube channel Gamers Nexus. In the video, 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. 此事近期引发了负面关注，Reddit 上出现了大量投诉，YouTube 频道 Gamers Nexus 也发布了相关视频。视频中，主编 Steve Burke 表示，他们花费 1200 美元购买了一台 LG UltraGear 3GX900A-B 游戏显示器进行测试，并在多台 Windows 11 系统上“多次”复现了这一行为。

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. Burke 称，在安装 LG Monitor App Installer 后，“每次开机”屏幕右下角都会出现弹窗。大多数情况下，弹窗内容是 McAfee 广告。该媒体还报告称，偶尔也会看到 LG Switch、LG Calibration Studio、LG Dual Controller 和 LG Channels 的广告。

McAfee pop-up ad being removed

McAfee 弹窗广告将被移除

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 this week: 在 Gamers Nexus 发布视频后，微软代表表示 LG Monitor App Installer 将不再显示 McAfee 弹窗广告。本周，微软 Windows 与设备部门执行副总裁 Pavan Davuluri 在回应有关该应用的社交媒体帖子时表示：

“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. We will keep improving here with our ecosystem partners.” “我们已与 LG 团队取得联系，作为即时后续行动，他们已同意在应用中禁用 McAfee 弹窗。我们感谢 LG 与我们合作，共同致力于为双方客户提供更好的体验。我们将继续与生态系统合作伙伴共同改进。”

As mentioned, some LG monitors appear to have been installing LG Monitor App Installer onto Windows computers for months. Publication Windows Latest noted that the app recently got an update, “and its changelog mentions McAfee as an additional app,” which could be what prompted more people to see the ads…and then complain about them. However, the removal of McAfee doesn’t address the problem of a peripheral installing ad-pushing software onto people’s computers. 如前所述，一些 LG 显示器似乎在过去几个月里一直在向 Windows 电脑安装该程序。Windows Latest 指出，该应用近期进行了更新，“更新日志中提到了 McAfee 作为附加应用”，这可能是导致更多人看到广告并引发投诉的原因。然而，移除 McAfee 并不能解决外设强制在用户电脑上安装广告推送软件这一根本问题。

Broader concerns

更广泛的担忧

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. 用户发现，LG 在从未弹出提示或征求许可的情况下，就在他们的系统中安装了该程序及其广告。LG 的显示器价格昂贵，在某些情况下，用户花费超过 1000 美元购买的显示器最终却在 Windows 上强制推送广告，这不仅具有干扰性，还引发了隐私担忧。

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. Burke 指出，一旦该应用安装完成，“从技术上讲，LG 就拥有了使用‘所有系统资源’的权限”，以及“收集地理位置、设备数据、在线活动、联系人、用户凭据、交易记录等信息”的权限。

It’s also concerning that the practice has been going on for years and has seemingly expanded recently. Burke said he recently started seeing the pop-up ad on LG monitors he purchased three years ago. The incident also brings questions about what Windows permits from peripherals’ companion apps. 令人担忧的是，这种做法已经持续多年，且近期似乎有所扩大。Burke 表示，他最近在他三年前购买的 LG 显示器上也开始看到这种弹窗广告。此次事件也引发了人们对 Windows 允许外设配套应用执行何种操作的质疑。

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, per a Microsoft support page for Windows developers spotted by Windows Latest. 微软商店中 LG Monitor App Installer 的描述称，该应用旨在让用户“通过 LG Monitor App Installer 轻松安装和使用显示器支持的应用程序”，并将 McAfee 列为其中之一。此外，据 Windows Latest 发现的微软开发者支持页面显示，如果用户在安装过程中未选择退出“推荐设置”，且已连接互联网并登录了微软商店，微软允许通用 Windows 平台（UWP）设备应用“在用户将设备连接到电脑时自动安装”。

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 and give your app a bad rating.” 该页面写道：“自动安装功能在应用安装时不会向用户提供通知。一些用户可能会觉得这种体验令人困惑和沮丧，并给您的应用打出差评。”

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. 其他硬件厂商也曾因设备连接电脑时自动安装不需要的软件而受到批评。例如雷蛇（游戏外设）、罗技（游戏和办公外设）、华硕（主板）和技嘉（主板）。考虑到大多数显示器并不一定需要配套应用，且价格昂贵，强制安装 LG Monitor App Installer 的行为显得尤为恶劣。

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. Ars Technica 就 LG Monitor App Installer 的用途、受影响的显示器型号以及隐私问题联系了 LG。公司代表确认收到了询问，但在本文发布前未提供回应。

Citing user complaints, Gamers Nexus listed the following monitors as auto-installing LG Monitor App Installer onto PCs. But with Microsoft approving of the practice, there may be more monitors installing LG’s bloatware: 援引用户投诉，Gamers Nexus 列出了以下会自动在电脑上安装该程序的显示器型号。但由于微软认可这种做法，可能还有更多显示器在安装 LG 的臃肿软件：

34GX900A-B, 45GX950-B.AEU, 32GS95UE-B, 39GX950B, 27GP83B-B, 27GN800, 32GS95UE-B, 27GN850-B