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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

#81

Post by zik »

EpicEng wrote: post #26
jamesponddotco wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I got a Samsung "SmartTV", turned it on and the first thing I saw was advertisement and an insane amount of calls to Samsung servers on my Pi-hole. On the TV I just paid for. Opened it up, disconnected the WiFi module, connected my Apple TV to it and am pretty happy.

Why did you give it access to Wi-Fi in the first place? I have a Samsung smart TV and I just skipped that step. Performing a HW mod seems unnecessary.

It might make sense to connect it to get a firmware update. And some bug fixes, hopefully.

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

#84

Post by mopsi »

topspin wrote: post #47
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.

> Can you be sure it is not connected to the Internet? Yes, you can be sure. The network capabilities aren't hidden spy equipment. You can disable WiFi and simply not connect Ethernet. The market for your data is relying on the indifference of 99% of TV buyers to data collection. Manufacturers and advertisers -- at least those not too far down the grey market rabbit hole -- don't care enough about the tiny fraction o…

Network connection can also be shared by devices over HDMI. It was introduced with v1.4 spec in 2009 and runs at 100 Mbps. Pin 13 of HDMI connector has to be broken or covered with tape to ensure no connectivity.

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

#86

Post by lrem »

0xffff2 wrote: post #67
lrem wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

An acquaintance attempted that with Kindle, by keeping it in flight mode. After some days it popped up a message kindly asking to give it some network access. After a few more days it simply ignored the flight mode and connected to get fresh ads. Edit: I've checked with my wife who has an ad supported Kindle for over a year and keeps it in flight mode for months at a time. It never did that to her. So either Amazon c…

Do you have a real source for this? That’s a pretty serious accusation.

Even if I went through the trouble of finding where he described it, you would get a pseudonymous guy on the Internet saying a thing, instead of a pseudonymous guy on the Internet mentioning an anonymous guy told him something. So, well, apply your pinch of salt. But I remember it pretty cleanly, as it did shock me a bit.

As others suggested: it was an app-supported Kindle indeed. So it's not like Amazon went crazy unprovoked evil or something.

Edit: I've checked with my wife who has an ad supported Kindle for over a year and keeps it in flight mode for months at a time. It never did that to her. So either Amazon changed that a long time ago, or I've believed a lie.

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

#87

Post by Godel_unicode »

isostatic wrote: post #35

Just wait for TVs and other gadgets with built in 5g and iot sim cards that you can’t simply “skip network” on.

5g is incredibly sensitive to physical interference, I'm sure someone will make a cool looking antenna cover for popular models.

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

#88

Post by boring_twenties »

beamatronic wrote: post #65
boring_twenties wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In a hn thread the other day, someone told me their TV will simply connect to any open wifi networks it comes across, just to phone home. I couldn't get the brand or model out of them, though.

That’s awful. We need to find out that brand.

Well, there's another guy now saying the same thing in this thread, too: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21010777

Also on this thread is the supposition that eventually TVs will just have their own cellular data connections: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21010790

Sickening, really.

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

#89

Post by partialrecall »

mrbonner wrote: post #66
throw03172019 wrote: post #36

I disabled WiFi on my Samsung TV after they were injecting ads into the home screen. Spend $800 to get ads served in their shitty/slow UI.

My Samsung SmartTV randomly turns on itself. Sometimes, we can't turn it on and I have to remove the batteris from the remote, plug them back then it works. The UI is sooo sluggish. I just wish they make a dump TV with superior image quality and let the other streaming devices handling the "smart" features. I will not buy another Samsung electronic product.

> "I just wish they make a dump TV with superior image quality and let the other streaming devices handling the "smart" features."

They do, but from what I understand you'll pay more for such panels. As I understand it they're intended for commercial use.

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

#90

Post by boring_twenties »

lrem wrote: post #64
boring_twenties wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't own a Smart TV, but without this step I'd be very suspicious that the TV would silently try to connect to open wifi networks, or perhaps some kind of hotspot like xfinity or AT&T that the manufacturer made an agreement with.

Won't they just use Ethernet over HDMI?

Maybe, but that would only work if there is Internet at the other end of the HDMI.
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