Is Your Smart TV Spying On You?

Laws will never keep up with technology. Especially a law that was passed in the 80's. The best defense is a good offense. Just disable all the "Smart" features and you will be safe. I am sure there will come a time when I have no alternatives but for now I refuse to buy a "smart" tv. I hired a security firm to review my home internet and device setups and was told that if my "smart" tv has a video camera, some enterprising person could theoretically hack my wireless signal and watch the house via the camera on the tv assuming I had not disabled the camera. Anyway, I figure that unless I really need the features, I will not buy the device.

Have an LG Smart TV, yes the feature did come up during setup, I choose not to enable. I figure there is enough information with my fingerprint or IP address already on it. But it is getting harder to keep it all out, just best to sometimes turn it off and read a book, paper book.

I purchased one of the first "smart" tvs, a Panasonic Viera,should I be concerned about Panasonic datamining?

No smart TV here, yet! I don't know how secure any smart TV is, even those that supposedly have the smart feature turned off.

I watch TV on an old analog set.

Correct me if I'm wrong, Bob, but I don't think Vizio gets much marketable information out of me. I use one of their TVs as a monitor for my PC and game console.

And it's their own fault--the cheap remote they furnished was not made to control smart TV apps with anything resembling ease. So, Amazon, YouTube and Netflix run through my Playstation 3, and I use my PC as a DVR--with Media Player Classic, PowerDVD or VLC handling the playback.

WHOA!!! Maybe, that is why they are called Smart TVs?!

Thankfully, none of my current TVs are Smart TVs. I do have a Netgear Media Stream Player, but, I am not really sure, if, MSPs do the same thing. Plus, you really have to connect it up, meaning, find the right HDMI on your TV, to activate it. I don't use it often, because, I rarely see my VUDU movies on the TV, I watch them on my PC Monitor.

It seems as though, new technology is helping the "bad guys", to get what they want and to the hell, with the customer. The "bad guys" in this case, are the Data Brokers and the TV companies that sells the information to them!!!

This isn't hacking, but, it is pretty darn close to it. However, we've had the selling of information from Telephone Companies. You really think your Unlisted Phone number is safe? Nope, telephone numbers have been sold as lists, for decades. These lists have included Unlisted Phone numbers.

Now, I wonder if, the Telephone and Cable Companies are selling customers IP addresses, too??? Bad thoughts, on that topic.

Added to that, interactive Smart TVs have a microphone that ‘listens’ to spoken commands you can give the device. It’s doesn’t take too much imagination to foresee people hacking that feature to listen in to what’s being said for a longer time. It must be a security service’s wet dream to have such a readymade spying device.

I have a large hdtv but I always go for the least expensive technology. That has kept smart tv's out of my home so far. I just have my pc hardwired to my tv....so no need for a smart tv anyway. I get all the internet benefits without the high cost. And now, thanks to Bob, I probably won't ever be buying a smart tv. Besides, the way I look at it, if anyone is selling my data they owe me money.

1) It would be remarkably interesting to see the demographics of your list and how they respond to something like this. I'm middle aged, and concerned about privacy. My experience with millenials tells me most would not have a problem with this-- they assume that everyone is mining their private data (except for their snapchat images-- haha).

2) I think there are more and more services that try to help people anonymize and/or privtize their data. Spoof your MAC address. Randomly rotate your public and private IP address. Use TOR. Etc.

I loved your article in Feb. http://askbobrankin.com/free_tools_for_anonymous_web_browsing.html It was an excellent overview of anonymous and privacy (plus their differences).

If you are more worried than the average person about data brokers connecting all the dots of your data, then privatize and anonymize all your devices, turn the smart services off on your TV, and relax. You haven't solved everything, but you are no longer easy prey. They would prefer the low hanging fruit of everyone else.

Two way technology in TVs and other devices is scary. Why do companies like MS or Google require access to the microphone, camera and modem just to use one of their many Apps? It is not a choice but a requirement one must agree to if you want to use the App.
There should be clear warning labels on devices like Smart TVs and phones about the Spyware/Malware that is installed in/on the devices. This is an invasion of privacy without a search warrant.

I have a Vizio TV that I bought a few months ago. It's an M series smart TV that works great for my needs. You don't have to turn off all smart TV features just the Smart Interactivity. I knew about this when I bought the set and disabled it when I set it up. I'm also a cable cutter and don't watch any broadcast TV that this so called feature is supposed to work with.

Never been a fan of Vizio's quality so I've never bought their products. I definetely won't buy their product now!

Smart TV's are for Dumb people.
Its so easy to hook up to a computer or laptop that I wonder why anyone would want one? Oh wait ... I might have to hook up some wires ... like I said ... Smart TV's are for Dumb people.

I quit watching most tv many moons ago when I learned how to read.