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Smart TV tracking raises privacy concerns (2024)

ucl.ac.uk

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Re: Smart TV tracking raises privacy concerns (2024)

#61
post #39

Just connect your TV to WiFi then block it at your router/wifi AP. Though at some point they'll just start using random MAC addresses Then you have to ensure that you block all external access for stuff that didn't get an IP from your DHCP server. Which probably won't work with IPv6 because it could just assign itself an IP and go. How would you block a random device on IPv6 that's generating its own IP?

> How would you block a random device on IPv6 that's generating its own IP?

If you’re referring to your TV presenting itself as a random device with a random address, you give it the WiFi info to an AP that you control which has no network connectivity at all, via vlan separation, routing rules, or just by the physical AP not being connected to any other network.

I have UniFi stuff and I created another AP on those which can’t talk to anything, and is unencrypted, and if my tv wants to use an insecure WiFi network it can try to use that one and fail because there’s no internet connectivity. I should just remove the WiFi module or antenna.

Re: Smart TV tracking raises privacy concerns (2024)

#62
post #55

Dumb devices have gotta be a billion dollar market at this point.

Unfortunately most just don't care, and a truly dumb tv will have to be so expensive no-one will want to buy it. People tend to really underestimate the value of their personal information, so they don't really realize how much their modern tech is subsidized by personal information.

The thing I don't get is, smart TVs suck to use regardless of the privacy issues, so why isn't there competition to at least make them good? It's gotten to the point where just turning it on and switching to HDMI 1 is sometimes difficult even for people who understand tech. Samsung TVs are the worst about this despite not being the cheapest tier.
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