Smart TVs sending sensitive user data to Netflix and Facebook • Hacker News Board

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

#311

Post by mrpopo » Thu, Sep 19, 2019, 5:57 AM UTC

myaccount80 wrote: post #298

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…

If you want to get rid of the ads without hacks, just contact amazon with the web chat and ask if they can remove them. They did it for me for free. (I’m serious)

It makes sense. Not enough people care about it enough to go through the ordeal. By offering an option for concerned people, they can avoid bad publicity about what they do.

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

#312

Post by ghostpepper » Thu, Sep 19, 2019, 6:04 AM UTC

I would love to update my 10 year old 1080p Philips non-smart TV to a 55" or so 4K HDR screen but I don't want any of the smart features. Does anyone know of any manufacturers selling high end "dumb" TVs?

For now I'm comfortable using my appleTV but I like the fact that I can disconnect it at any time. I want a TV that will simply display whatever signal it receives without any connectivity required.

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

#313

Post by jsjw7sbw » Thu, Sep 19, 2019, 6:14 AM UTC

mr_toad wrote: post #258

RandomBacon wrote: post #236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can find them on Amazon pretty easily. That's how I bought my 4k dumb TV.

Just beware that some models don’t have speakers.

Even better. Can we go any dumber?

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

#314

Post by homerhomer » Thu, Sep 19, 2019, 6:14 AM UTC

no surprise here, but is my pi-hole blocking this crap?

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

#315

Post by kokx » Thu, Sep 19, 2019, 6:19 AM UTC

ghostpepper wrote: post #312

I would love to update my 10 year old 1080p Philips non-smart TV to a 55" or so 4K HDR screen but I don't want any of the smart features. Does anyone know of any manufacturers selling high end "dumb" TVs? For now I'm comfortable using my appleTV but I like the fact that I can disconnect it at any time. I want a TV that will simply display whatever signal it receives without any connectivity required.

I have a Humax "monitor". It only has 4 HDMI inputs and a USB input (never used it, probably for viewing things on a random USB stick).

If you have a separate box for TV anyways, its perfect. Don't need anything else.

Otherwise, you can simply not connect your smart TV to the internet. Just leave it unconnected and use it as if it is a dumb TV.

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

#316

Post by harry8 » Thu, Sep 19, 2019, 6:22 AM UTC

seppin wrote: post #304

harry8 wrote: post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Buy a dell monitor [1] or similar. Please link any similar products from competitors here, this company is just the one I know of that comes to mind. [1] eg https://www.dell.com/en-au/work/shop/accessories/apd/210-aqx...

> Online Price $2,209.00 Not everyone here is a pre-IPO employee. I'd say 90% maybe, not everyone.

~ USD 1,500, are similar spec "television" monitors wildly cheaper than that in the US?

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

#317

Post by exolymph » Thu, Sep 19, 2019, 6:24 AM UTC

ghostpepper wrote: post #312

I would love to update my 10 year old 1080p Philips non-smart TV to a 55" or so 4K HDR screen but I don't want any of the smart features. Does anyone know of any manufacturers selling high end "dumb" TVs? For now I'm comfortable using my appleTV but I like the fact that I can disconnect it at any time. I want a TV that will simply display whatever signal it receives without any connectivity required.

What you're looking for is a monitor.

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

#318

Post by theshrike79 » Thu, Sep 19, 2019, 6:26 AM UTC

ghostpepper wrote: post #312

I would love to update my 10 year old 1080p Philips non-smart TV to a 55" or so 4K HDR screen but I don't want any of the smart features. Does anyone know of any manufacturers selling high end "dumb" TVs? For now I'm comfortable using my appleTV but I like the fact that I can disconnect it at any time. I want a TV that will simply display whatever signal it receives without any connectivity required.

LG seems to be the least crappy option here.

But if you're willing to spend some extra $$, you can get a "meeting room display" with the same panel, but zero smart features and no speakers.

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

#319

Post by ecmascript » Thu, Sep 19, 2019, 6:34 AM UTC

ghostpepper wrote: post #312

I would love to update my 10 year old 1080p Philips non-smart TV to a 55" or so 4K HDR screen but I don't want any of the smart features. Does anyone know of any manufacturers selling high end "dumb" TVs? For now I'm comfortable using my appleTV but I like the fact that I can disconnect it at any time. I want a TV that will simply display whatever signal it receives without any connectivity required.

I would recommend getting a projector if you have the space!

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

#320

Post by aleem » Thu, Sep 19, 2019, 6:36 AM UTC

paxys wrote: post #100

mikeryan wrote: post #50

This is a pretty open secret within the industry. Geographic data can be provided via setup (a lot of TV's ask for a zip code on setup) or usually simply via GeoIP lookup. Dig a bit deeper and you get into service provided by Samba TV and or Inscape and you can find that they're sending back frames of video in a lot of cases to track what you're watching. This data is becoming a huge mechanism for subsidizing TV sale…

Not even a secret. A TV manufacturer publicly said a while ago that a TV without "smart" features is more expensive for the company (even if sold at the same retail price) because they cannot make any money from selling usage data.

Nowhere does it mention "usage data".

Services revenue in general is where all devices are going. If you subscribe to Netflix on your smart TV, the TV maker gets comms. Again, this referral/conversion model is pretty dated. Otherwise TV maker has no incentive to pre-bundle your app (same as Windows, some Android phones, Lenovo laptops, etc).