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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]

#351

Post by account42 »

wavesplash wrote: post #274
throw93947309 wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Watch the video the article is based on - not connecting to the internet doesn't keep you safe in many cases: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IFVTcM28KA

"Watch this two hour long video" is not a particularly useful reply. If you think the TV can exfiltrate your data without an internet connection then you should be able to explain how it could do that in your own words.

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

#352

Post by uneoneuno »

8fingerlouie wrote: post #110
HelloUsername wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All of your blocking still doesn't change the fact that your LG TV is actively trying to scan your local hardware, gathering IP-addresses of devices, wi-fi names and signal strengths, creating digital finger prints of the audio and video projected on your screen, recording audio through the internal microphone, even when the TV is in standby or without an internet connection, saving the collected data locally and upl…

But it's never connected to the internet, not even for software updates. If the TV isn't connected to the internet there's no reason to update it, assuming the TV works as expected. It's a trade off I guess. I use Home Assistant to control TVs, so kinda need the access.

Have you noticed that on many home routers there is now a default open, sometimes password protective network named AT&T or Cox Wi-Fi? That’s the backhaul. The TV will join that automatically without asking you because they have an agreement with the network provider. This is how tons of devices phone home now. You don’t ever need to add a device on your network for it to have internet. If there’s a partner Wi-Fi network anywhere, it’ll push through that.

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

#353

Post by givinguflac »

rickdeckard wrote: post #218
givinguflac wrote: post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

| 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.

| 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. You've accidentally proven my statement: If you're not specific, you're not helping.

Nothing about my previous statement was accidental, and it’s proven nothing to your point as far as I can tell. What exactly are you being specific about here? You started with a baseless claim that anyone who believes we live in a surveillance state is misguided, while I stated that the discussion was surrounding facts. Meanwhile, there are numerous citations throughout the thread, go read them; I’m not going to reproduce them here.

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

#354

Post by microtonal »

recurseP wrote: post #209
Anoian wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Respect for the consumer has long been gone generally except for a few brands. I am still wondering why consumer respecting brands are not emerging more and thriving.

The point is: which brands still respect user privacy? If I were to buy a new TV today, which brands-models should I prioritize? Also, are there brands-models that in which it is possible to sideload a different OS like with mobile phones (LineageOS, GrapheneOS, etc.)

Our Android TV (Sony) has an option to basically make it a dumb TV. Not sure whether that still exists. We use that + simply don't plug a network cable or set up WiFi. As long as they don't add cellular modems, this works.

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

#355

Post by rft »

alex_duf wrote: post #292

What would the HN crowd recommend for a good linux streaming box + hardware with decent TV UX and remote? My LG is completely offline and I'm using an nvidia shield to display any content, but I'm thinking maybe I need to go the extra mile, there nothing preventing an android tv box to do the same.

I have a "Homatics Box R 4K Plus" with CoreELEC/Kodi installed. The UX is then determined by your Kodi skin or apps. I wouldn't exactly recommend that box for ease of installation, but it works. It only needed to boot once into Android, annoyingly requiring an internet connection for setup. Since then it only runs CoreELEC. Works via HDMI CEC via the TV remote, which is still a bit annoying, because they had space for a dozen branded streaming provider buttons, but pause/forward etc. are on a mode switch button that overloads the navigation buttons.

For far too many options, see this massive sheet for Kodi support, including newer formats like Dolby Vision and HDR variants: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Uyuw_1dADsRw7u1LGW6q...

Overall I am pretty happy with Kodi on my Android box. 90% of the content is streamed from a local Jellyfin server, so I can't comment on how well it works with DRM media. It occasionally [1] seems to hang, requiring a power reset. The next time it does, I will hook it up to a smart plug to simplify that as well. If you are into tinkering, CoreELEC is based on Linux and you have some basic tools already installed with more available from the addon repos. I have SSHed into LibreELEC to debug network issues with iperf and on a previous iteration to kick over Kodi with systemctl restart.

[1] gonna say less than once a month, I don't remember when it last happened

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

#356

Post by nickthegreek »

uneoneuno wrote: post #352
8fingerlouie wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But it's never connected to the internet, not even for software updates. If the TV isn't connected to the internet there's no reason to update it, assuming the TV works as expected. It's a trade off I guess. I use Home Assistant to control TVs, so kinda need the access.

Have you noticed that on many home routers there is now a default open, sometimes password protective network named AT&T or Cox Wi-Fi? That’s the backhaul. The TV will join that automatically without asking you because they have an agreement with the network provider. This is how tons of devices phone home now. You don’t ever need to add a device on your network for it to have internet. If there’s a partner Wi-Fi net…

which home router?

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

#357

Post by LoganDark »

ButlerianJihad wrote: post #212
snvzz wrote: post #196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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".

Zealous Autoconfig https://m.xkcd.com/416/

Non-mobile link: https://xkcd.com/416

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

#358

Post by ButlerianJihad »

uneoneuno wrote: post #352
8fingerlouie wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But it's never connected to the internet, not even for software updates. If the TV isn't connected to the internet there's no reason to update it, assuming the TV works as expected. It's a trade off I guess. I use Home Assistant to control TVs, so kinda need the access.

Have you noticed that on many home routers there is now a default open, sometimes password protective network named AT&T or Cox Wi-Fi? That’s the backhaul. The TV will join that automatically without asking you because they have an agreement with the network provider. This is how tons of devices phone home now. You don’t ever need to add a device on your network for it to have internet. If there’s a partner Wi-Fi net…

Joining that network from a new device always presents a captive portal that requires the credentials of my ISP account, so how does that work for you?

Where is a web link indicating partnerships, and compatible hardware lists? My ISP does not sell any TV sets.

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

#359

Post by deadbunny »

dylan604 wrote: post #348
deadbunny wrote: post #325

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[citation needed]

If you have one, can't you just look at the router to the MAC being reported?

I'm not the one claiming TVs actively spoof their MAC address. Its on the person making claims to provide evidence.
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