161–170 of 340 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
They can nag you about retrieving updates.
root it then! Any kid that knows how to point the libstagefright and DirtyCOW MetaSploit modules at the browser can root their "smart" TV...
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Rather than avoiding such TVs, I think we're better off taking some good precautionary measures. Why buy commercial displays which usually are pretty expensive, when you can buy consumer ones and be smart about how you use it? Of course, even if they start coming with in-built wifi, just don't let them connect to anything. First, off taking control of your own home network is crucial. Get a good router, something you…
There's an absurd amount of technical knowledge that you are suggesting that every household in America should subscriber to. Also, if you have a SmartTV, you probably need to allow it contact the internet, otherwise playing internet TV (Netflix, iPlayer, Hulu, etc) is not going to work. If it can access Netflix, it can probably phone home with your data.
But, the point of having a firewall is that you can find tune the outgoing IP addresses. Sure, it'll take some time to initially allow all IP addresses for a specific devices, but it shouldn't be undoable. There are lists out there which specify which service owns which IP.
The sole point of a good firewall _is_ that it can only access Netflix and not any unwanted servers.
There's no incentive for companies to do better and not be shady. It pays to roll the dice and see if you get caught. If you do just say sorry and pay a small fine.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is why i torrent behind a VPN despite being subscribed to HBO now, Netflix, and Amazon Video. My guilt is ameliorated and at least a sliver of ny privacy is maintained.
I'm amazed you can access Netflix behind a VPN.
Whhen I do use Netflix it's through my PS4.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is why i torrent behind a VPN despite being subscribed to HBO now, Netflix, and Amazon Video. My guilt is ameliorated and at least a sliver of ny privacy is maintained.
You misunderstand how it works. This worked by fingerprinting audio and video at the TV display level, it's not part of the networking layer. If your content was shown on the TV you could be tracked regardless of source.
How are fines that are as little as this supposed to deter future companies from sketchy collection practices? One can only assume they made more than $3.7M selling illegally collected data. There's no incentive for companies to do better and not be shady. It pays to roll the dice and see if you get caught. If you do just say sorry and pay a small fine.
I'mma be honest. I don't understand the repulsion at the possibility of corporation X knowing my personal info, (excluding the usual things like bank account info, SSNs, etc) like my location, search history, etc. To be clear, I'm 10000000% against warrantless (FISA court "warrants" excluded) government access to this information. Here's my reasoning:
* Governments
Have the power to arrest and detain on a whim. Not to mention, use drone strikes.
* Corporations
... Don't. These entities have self-interested incentives to provide tools which are economically productive for users. For example, a smarter smartphone, whatever that may be.
Regarding Vizio, my grip is that Vizio's goal (for this product at least) is to make a profit producing TVs. So, after the TV is sold, the product is individually "finished" (not considering support stuff). So, then, what other product is the data collection for, and what does this product give me in return for my data? The answer to both is no, and not just for Vizio.
Maybe I'm naive.