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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

#401

Post by natmaka »

squarefoot wrote: post #394

I wouldn't be that hard to make a small firewall to put in between the TV and the Internet, with rules that block unwanted traffic - or better, block it and inject fake data - while allowing normal use of the TV. This cheap SBC comes to mind, there's a very similar one from OrangePI too. https://www.friendlyarm.com/index.php?route=product/product&... It would be nice having say a version for traveling with laptops et…

How will it detect unwanted (spying) traffic from legitimate operations (software update...)? Moreover it is a moving target, as the firmware can, at some point in time, use another endpoint (especially after an update).

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

#402

Post by shkkmo »

arcticbull wrote: post #370
shkkmo wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have never seen the claim that cell service providers played an active role in this. Do you have a source for this info? I am curious to learn more.

I've heard this claim before but the justification was because the network wasn't designed to cope with someone hopping from tower to tower every few seconds. No citation here either. The handoff must be a total mess.

The closest I can find the the 2013 FAA press release about allowing devices to be used during all phases of flight.

> The FAA did not consider changing the regulations regarding the use of cell phones for voice communications during flight because the issue is under the jurisdiction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The ARC did recommend that the FAA consult with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to review its current rules.

So it seems to be the FCC that has made this decision (in consultation with the FAA it sounds like).

[0] https://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsI...

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

#403

Post by downtide »

Kaiyou wrote: post #398
m-p-3 wrote: post #265

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As long as I can keep the TV offline to operate it I'm fine with it. The day it needs to be online to work is where I'll be seriously pissed enough that I'll return it without hesitation.

How can you be sure it's offline? Possibly it has wireless capabilities that work without your consent..

We have a house without any Internet connection - that would require at least a mobile link.

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

#404

Post by amiga-workbench »

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.

When my old 720p 42" Sony Bravia conks out, I'm just going to end up buying a second hand NEC Commercial display. I made the mistake of buying a Sony 4K Android TV for my bedroom and the performance is just dreadful with repeated crashes.

I've already got many NEC panels around the office and they're fantastic.

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

#405

Post by paulcarroty »

sjwright wrote: post #220
move-on-by wrote: post #213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any way to turn it off? Or perhaps block a specific domain via pihole?

Don’t let your TV access the internet at all. Smart TV interfaces are almost uniformly worse than set top boxes (one or more of: bad UI, slow CPU, weird quirks, few updates) so you should avoid it anyway. The current Apple TV (which I cite only because of familiarity) has a great UI, every major app, and robust HDMI-CEC support so you might never have to touch your TV’s remote again. And Apple respects your privacy.

> And Apple respects your privacy.

Yeah, exactly for their users in China.

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

#406

Post by Avamander »

flukus wrote: post #249
paxys wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

How much do they make per user? I would have have thought it was in the $10-$20 range and not enough to trigger any price sensitivity. I'm a tightass with an aldi TV but wouldn't have cared if it cost $10 more.

The data of one user is worthless AFAIK, only aggregation gives any usable stats.

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

#407

Post by paulcarroty »

move-on-by wrote: post #213
xcgfhgjbjhb wrote: post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I worked on that. It sends audio and/or video fingerprints (not frames, for privacy and bandwidth reasons), which are matched against a fingerprint database. Whatever people see on TV is usually 10 to 60 seconds behind the real live stream at the broadcaster (which is where the reference fingerprinting happens). GeoIP data can be used to roughly deduce where the TV is located, in order to better filter out false posi…

Any way to turn it off? Or perhaps block a specific domain via pihole?

Create a fake username, setup a proxy with logger and connect your TV to internet via proxy. After couple of days/weeks just analyze all traffic and block strange hosts via /etc/hosts or Pi-hole.

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

#408

Post by sjwright »

leni536 wrote: post #391
trevyn wrote: post #357

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fun fact: If the signal is reasonably strong, Wi-Fi will sometimes still work even with the antenna disconnected.

I guess it's much less likely if the exposed antenna connector is properly terminated.

Or maybe grounding it? I bet if you mash a little ball of tinfoil into the connector, any residual chance of it working will evaporate.

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

#409

Post by isostatic »

favorited wrote: post #116
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.

I was shocked when a medical device I got had a built-in CDMA modem to send telemetry to my insurance company. Thankfully there's an airplane mode.

> I was shocked when a medical device I got had a built-in CDMA modem

That's really bad -- they should be well insulated

(tip your waiter)

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

#410

Post by isostatic »

abstractbarista wrote: post #185
favorited wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was shocked when a medical device I got had a built-in CDMA modem to send telemetry to my insurance company. Thankfully there's an airplane mode.

That's terrifying! If it weren't for the airplane mode, I'd open it up and destroy the antenna traces.

Just hope it's not a pacemaker
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