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Smart TVs sending sensitive user data to Netflix and Facebook

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Re: Smart TVs sending sensitive user data to Netflix and Facebook

#31

Post by SteveNuts »

Retric wrote: post #19
jigglesniggle wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you be sure it is not connected to the Internet? I thought previously someone gave example of a Chinese TV connecting to open hotspots, or perhaps that was just a thought experiment.

As long as every local connection is encrypted/password protected you should be fine. Unfortunately, outside of rural areas that may not be under your control.

How would encryption help in this case? If the TV connects to open wifi opportunistically it will still be sending data to the internet you don't want it to, encrypted or not.

Re: Smart TVs sending sensitive user data to Netflix and Facebook

#33

Post by the_svd_doctor »

I tried to never connect my Smart TV to anything, but I realized one day (when someone's stuff was playing on it without me accepting any request...) it connected an open network in my residence. The only trick that worked to prevent it from connecting was putting the wrong password, and let it loop forever, trying to connect. Ugly.

Re: Smart TVs sending sensitive user data to Netflix and Facebook

#34

Post by phreack »

Retric wrote: post #19
jigglesniggle wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you be sure it is not connected to the Internet? I thought previously someone gave example of a Chinese TV connecting to open hotspots, or perhaps that was just a thought experiment.

As long as every local connection is encrypted/password protected you should be fine. Unfortunately, outside of rural areas that may not be under your control.

At some point we should stop making compromises like this and demand offer of dumb TVs that won't spy on every single thing you do in the privacy of your home.

Re: Smart TVs sending sensitive user data to Netflix and Facebook

#37

Post by nicwolff »

kminehart wrote: post #3

When can I buy a TV without smart features? I don't doubt that my smart TV is reporting some data about my usage, but I barely have a choice in the matter.

I bought an LG OLED commercial signage display. It's just a 55" panel, 1/4" thick, with a ribbon cable to a power-and-control box with one HDMI port. No internet or wifi connection; the software just lets you use the remote to configure the display.

Into it I plugged a Denon HEOS receiver, which is WiFi-connected for the purposes of serving as a Spotify and AirPlay output device, and which drives wired and wireless speakers. Into the HEOS runs an Apple TV for video streaming, a DVD player for old times' sake, and my wife's phonograph.

Re: Smart TVs sending sensitive user data to Netflix and Facebook

#38

Post by nicwolff »

nicwolff wrote: post #37
kminehart wrote: post #3

When can I buy a TV without smart features? I don't doubt that my smart TV is reporting some data about my usage, but I barely have a choice in the matter.

I bought an LG OLED commercial signage display. It's just a 55" panel, 1/4" thick, with a ribbon cable to a power-and-control box with one HDMI port. No internet or wifi connection; the software just lets you use the remote to configure the display. Into it I plugged a Denon HEOS receiver, which is WiFi-connected for the purposes of serving as a Spotify and AirPlay output device, and which drives wired and wireless s…

Note that it's only 1080p – not 4K – and doesn't have HDR. The picture's spectacular, so I decided that 1080p at 55" is plenty.

Re: Smart TVs sending sensitive user data to Netflix and Facebook

#39

Post by tibbon »

My LG C8, which I've done anything on with apps aside from installing Amazon, Youtube and Netflix (which I hope are "safe" and "reputable") is frequently trying to connect out with what appears to be a rootkit in Googling:

> Threat Management Alert 1: A Network Trojan was Detected. Signature ET MALWARE Misspelled Mozilla User-Agent (Mozila). From: 192.168.1.x:46372, to: 23.52.164.68:80, protocol: TCP

My firewall picks this up, otherwise I'd never know it.

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