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216M Spy TVs – The LG Smart TV Problem [video]

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Re: 216M Spy TVs – The LG Smart TV Problem [video]

#191

Post by vintermann »

nannal wrote: post #68
jiaosdjf wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The value of this data to the NSA, Mossad etc is probably the only thing keeping it secure. Never in human history has a government had the means to simultaneously spy on millions of people, to use everyday private conversations to categorise them into various threats to the state, and better yet these tech companies can still sell the commercially valuable side of this to advertisers.

Advertisers are the reason we have this problem. The only way to stop them is legislation.

Advertisers may be the reason we got this problem, but the security state is the reason we can't fix this problem and it only gets worse.

Re: 216M Spy TVs – The LG Smart TV Problem [video]

#193

Post by iamtedd »

bzzzt wrote: post #185
amelius wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you know that ethernet can run over HDMI? It's called HDMI Ethernet Channel (HEC).

Yes, but support in devices and cables is very limited.

How much would support increase when manufacturers realise how few of their TVs don't get connected to the network?

Re: 216M Spy TVs – The LG Smart TV Problem [video]

#194

Post by llm_nerd »

hk__2 wrote: post #188
llm_nerd wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As always - https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/we-should-improve-society-som... There is a very I-am-very-smart aspect to these predictable sorts of comments. And weirdly they always seem oddly intended to diminish the core concern being addressed. "Oh your TV is listening to you and mapping your network and exfiltrating your data? Yeah, well, look at that website that has some ads on it! Boom! Give up. The future is los…

> And weirdly they always seem oddly intended to diminish the core concern being addressed. No they don’t. OP says it’s funny, that’s all.

It is 100% diminishing the concern. If someone were paid by LG to try to manage this revelation, they would post exactly what touwer posted. Like, there isn't a better way to try to normalize and excuse bad behaviour than doing the incredibly boorish tactic seen above. The "everyone is doing it" excuse is a go to.

I mean, LG would probably also pay someone to run around going "it's just funny, is all" in support if anyone noticed this pathetic astroturfing.

Re: 216M Spy TVs – The LG Smart TV Problem [video]

#195

Post by 05 »

Asmod4n wrote: post #135
harha wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're streaming via AppleTV, why do you need to give the TV itself access to the network?

There is sadly no hdmi CEC support on Most GPUs for pcs. So when you want your tv to turn on and off with your pc it is only possible with the tv being reachable from your pc via ip. I believe LG doesn’t advertise such an api via Bluetooth

HDMI breakout and a esp32 module flashed with esphome is another option. The tv most likely doesn’t care that the port that sent on/off command is not the same port the video signal is coming from..

Re: 216M Spy TVs – The LG Smart TV Problem [video]

#196

Post by snvzz »

Sophira wrote: post #175
korzinka wrote: post #107

I've bought an LG Smart TV 5 years ago, read t&c where I was supposed to grant them any data they wanted, decided to disagree and kept all network functions disabled. I was ridiculed by my friends for that. At some point, I thought - maybe I'm really crazy to do so? Who am I, a caveman, a luddite? Oh well, I'm not. Not a bad tv though, many HDMI ports!

Nah, you're not crazy. I'm also someone who actually reads terms documents, because I find that they're often the only thing that will be truthful about a company's intentions. And keeping it completely disconnected from the internet should be the default, in my opinion.

Only good until the device starts using a neighbor's LG TV as access point, without telling you, for the sole purpose of upgrading itself and sending this "telemetry".

Re: 216M Spy TVs – The LG Smart TV Problem [video]

#197

Post by tombardier »

My LG C5 is in a separate VLAN, with no access to the rest of my home network. I've never accepted the terms and conditions, and I don't need anything from it other than to be a display for my 4k player and PC. I guess now I'm going to remove Internet access from it altogether!

The thing I'd like is if the remote didn't have 4 buttons for crappy streaming services I will never use, but instead had 4 buttons to select the HDMI inputs directly; but no, I have to press a button, wait for the stupid laggy UI to load, navigate or point and click at input I want, then do the same to the preview window. A tedious pain in arse for basically the one main thing I use the remote for. It annoys me no end, and it seems to me that the last thing LG care about is the UX; they've put all their efforts into underhand and user-hostile profiling.

I also have a Roku Ultra for streaming, which I very rarely use. I don't expect they treat their users any better and they use ACR too

Re: 216M Spy TVs – The LG Smart TV Problem [video]

#198

Post by intended »

shit_game wrote: post #71
nannal wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Advertisers are the reason we have this problem. The only way to stop them is legislation.

People could return to burning down enterprises that they find unsavory or detrimental to society, such as they did during the industrial revolution, but this is problematic in that it's violent and not something the modern person often considers as viable. A part of why people consider this unviable now is in-part due to the consequences of these surveilance technologies. It's difficult to accomplish a revolution wh…

The shortest path answer is a bit too caveman-esque to survive its application to reality.

That said, I think there is a lot of appeal to go hunting for firms, since it really feels like corporations and their owners are engaging in predatory behavior as opposed to customer centric behavior.

Re: 216M Spy TVs – The LG Smart TV Problem [video]

#199

Post by jangxx »

throw93947309 wrote: post #123
korzinka wrote: post #107

I've bought an LG Smart TV 5 years ago, read t&c where I was supposed to grant them any data they wanted, decided to disagree and kept all network functions disabled. I was ridiculed by my friends for that. At some point, I thought - maybe I'm really crazy to do so? Who am I, a caveman, a luddite? Oh well, I'm not. Not a bad tv though, many HDMI ports!

This. Why would you even connect TV to the network? It is well known for like 5 years. Smsrt TVs go through your movies library, and upload screenshots and filenames to internet. Some will start showing ads after firmware upgrade.

I use the built-in AirPlay receiver on my Sony TV quite a bit and that requires network access

Re: 216M Spy TVs – The LG Smart TV Problem [video]

#200

Post by givinguflac »

rickdeckard wrote: post #154
hypfer wrote: post #122

I'm practically certain that there was no ill-intent by LG when conceiving this feature. It was most likely just a convenience thing. But I am also practically certain, that, eventually, any pile of data will attract ideas you do not want attracted.

Yes, unfortunately the investigative video is implying (or explicitly stating) malice on every detail they discovered, which is harming the overall message IMO. They hacked the TV OS, then used the TV UI to do a web search with voice-input and observed (still on the UI!) that the voice input didn't stop immediately on silence but kept extending the search prompt with everything said [0]. The OS-hack was irrelevant fo…

| but this conspiracy theory that everything is made to spy on you is not helping...

Have you actually looked at what is being discussed? There is no conspiracy theory, these are simple facts. Just about every electronic device is made to spy on you in 2026. Thinking otherwise is naive, at best.

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