Is Your New HDTV Watching You?

[A Guy]

Samsung’s 2012 top-of-the-line plasmas and LED HDTVs offer new features never before available within a television including a built-in, internally wired HD camera, twin microphones, face tracking and speech recognition. While these features give you unprecedented control over an HDTV, the devices themselves, more similar than ever to a personal computer, may allow hackers or even Samsung to see and hear you and your family, and collect extremely personal data.

While Web cameras and Internet connectivity are not new to HDTVs, their complete integration is, and it’s the always connected camera and microphones, combined with the option of third-party apps (not to mention Samsung’s own software) gives us cause for concern regarding the privacy of TV buyers and their friends and families.

Source

Followup:

Snooping TVs? Samsung responds to criticism

HD Guru recently published an article entitled "Is your TV watching you?" In it, we discussed the fact that new features in Samsung's top 2012 models -- including built-in microphones, HDTV camera, wireless and wired Internet connection, built-in browser with voice to text conversion, face recognition and more -- could be used to collect unprecedented personal information, as well as present a new way for hackers to invade users' lives.

We asked Samsung for a privacy statement prior to publication, but the company did not respond. Now, Samsung has given HD Guru an official comment, and shared two separate privacy policies. In the interest of transparency, here's the complete statement, with our emphasis added on key parts:

Source

A Guy

 

[Brink]

Hmm, seems to still be a bit to loose with the data to me.

We reserve the right to share all Personal Data and non-Personal Data with any company within the Samsung Electronics group of companies, or with any other company that operates under the Samsung brand. ... Each of the Samsung Group Companies will use your information in accordance with their own independent privacy practices.

 

[Trucidation]

I prefer my idiot boxes as dumb as they were - so what if I have to deal with a tangle of cables, at least I can see what I'm connecting to input and output. Just like my dumb phone, I only want something I'll be using fully, not something I only use 5% of the features I paid for and no clue what the other features can do behind my back.

/velostat

 

[Lebon14]

If you have such TV, just use the remote or don't connect it to the Internet.
Problem solved.

 

[A Guy]

You buy such a TV for those features, otherwise you could get one much cheaper. A Guy

 

[revmike]

I don't care, they aren't going to see much. It would be so boring they would change the channel.

 

[M1GU31]

These are the new smart tvs correct? I really don't see myself using them because I use my computer for the internet and the tv well for shows,movies and for the computer also but use it as a monitor. That is all I would use my television for...

 

[Solarstarshines]

I don't care, they aren't going to see much. It would be so boring they would change the channel.

Too funny but true ......Im too busy providing to be looking at a TV
When i have free time this is where i go

They can track me here all day all there going to find is me trying to help others lol

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
The problem is not with the internet per se but what if you go through a cable provider with THEIR box.

You don't have to go anywhere NEAR the internet --but the "Black cable box" could still collect all sorts of data and transmit it back to the provider without your knowlege.

In general I couldn't care two hoots about statistics gathered on what I watch or even when I turn the wretched "Idiot Box" on -- but what *could* be worrying is that say you plug your computer in via an HDMI link the black box could collect stats of what you are watching which *could* be an internet download of a pirated film -- or even a LEGAL download -- in either case this could lead to all sorts of investigations.

One reason why for my TV I suscribe to a SATELLITE service as there's no uplink --so no data.

Those guys who think just by pulling the plug on the Internet will solve data collection are "living in cloud cuckoo land". --Unless you actually KNOW what's in the cable box I'd leave well alone and avoid cable services where possible.

I'd suggest also to Lebon14 that you DON'T have to be connected to the Internet for these companies to collect statistics -- remember a Cable box is essentially a computer which if programmed properly could do all sorts of stuff we know nothing about.

Again I'd say these days with more and more "Snooping" organisations and restrictive laws --just AVOID cable if you can.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[geeve420]

Well when we go to upgrade and if this is the only option (becomes standard equipment) The wife and I have decided that we will watch TV naked, picking our noses and flipping the TV off evey so often. May as well give them something to see LOL!!

Geeve

 

[M1GU31]

Well when we go to upgrade and if this is the only option (becomes standard equipment) The wife and I have decided that we will watch TV naked, picking our noses and flipping the TV off evey so often. May as well give them something to see LOL!!

Geeve

LMAO :devil::roflmao:

 

[galaxys]

Don't want any big brother TV watching me!

 

[linnemeyerhere]

I was thinking we could all collectively give them the blue flame treatment. Talk about green house gases !

 

[Maguscreed]

pfft so it's a camera, if it bothers you that much there is this stuff called electrical tape, I'm sure a tiny piece would take care of that problem permanently.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there.

It's not the camera -- the other insidious methods of data collection are worse -- for example noting what channels you are watching so YOU can be INDIVIDUALLY targeted by various commercial campaigns (I'm sure we have ENOUGH junk mail and cold callers already) -- the number of double glazing salesmen that seem to be available could probably populate half the planet.

This data can be collected either by a chip in the computer or the cable box or a combination of both.

Even more sneakily -- they could monitor the time you start watching TV -- if this was fairly regular and the data passed into wrong hands it could be an invitation to criminals to say -- these people are likely (not always) to be out so go and "case their joint" and if empty -- well steal something.

I remember reading a case recently where a lot of people were invited to attend a Wedding reception in Scotland. When the guests came back home they ALL found that they had been burgled. !! The guest list had been sold on to "dubious sources".

It's not the Security services I'm worried about - it's sleazy low ranking commercial organisations trying to make a quick buck by passing on this sort of data to ANYBODY who'll pay for it - even low level petty criminals.

In general (ok not 100% true either but reasonably accurate) security services usually DO have the infrastructure and due diligence to handle the data properly and are generally accountable to the laws of the state / country they are operating in.

Cheers
jimbo