Your TV Is Spying On You

[Chonebox]

Your TV Is Spying On You

How to Turn Off Smart TV Snooping Features - Consumer Reports

 

[Masked Man]

Correct, I recently bought a new TV and spent the extra cash for one that is "dumb."

The reason some of those televisions are so cheap is because they are subsidized by ads and streaming services.

 

[Judge]

Yes, I keep them all turned off on my television, ultimately using it as a monitor without a tuner. However the HDMI port still connects to my Roku device which has its issues when it comes to harvesting user data.

Though there are a few things you can do to mitigate such data collection:

Is Your Roku Watching You? Uncovering the Truth Behind Roku's Data Collection - SoftHandTech

 

[Jumpinbare]

I'm not worried about my TV knowing what I'm watching. And I learned to ignore ads decades ago. If my TV sees me naked -- oh well.

 

[Chonebox]

I don't own a tv it gives me headaches.

 

[Metalhead]

There should be laws against this kind of thing.

 

[Chonebox]

Yes, I keep them all turned off on my television, ultimately using it as a monitor without a tuner. However the HDMI port still connects to my Roku device which has its issues when it comes to harvesting user data.

Though there are a few things you can do to mitigate such data collection:

Is Your Roku Watching You? Uncovering the Truth Behind Roku's Data Collection - SoftHandTech

Can you show a picture of that?
This might do the trick HDMI splitter and it has a switch.
https://www.amazon.com/Splitter-GAN...i+switch+4k+hdmi+splitter+,aps,75&sr=8-3&th=1

 

[Misery]

So much of this just seems so strange to me.

Like... first of all, why in the world would you want to use a "smart" device at all? I can understand a phone, sort of. The thing's entire purpose is remote connection.

But a lot of other things... like, a "smart lightbulb"? What? Smart thermostat? The heck is that for? It's a freaking thermostat! Turn it up or down, it's not hard.

The smart TV is confusing to me too. Though, I'm also VERY out of touch with that. I dont understand and cannot really use modern TVs. It's been like, multiple decades since I watched TV (I stopped when Youtube showed up). Modern TVs are this labyrinthine tangle of arcane features that need like 5 freaking remotes to control, and every remote has like 200 buttons on it. I have a hard time just turning the stupid things off. The remotes never seem to do quite what I think they do.

Granted I also dont have any use for them, but still.

The fact that they do all this shady stuff doesnt surprise me though. Not after so many years on the internet. I use multiple layers of adblockers and other things all at once on this PC for good reason.

Gotta say, I find myself missing a lot of my older devices more and more often these days. Not that I dont appreciate my PC. Though even with that, I miss my ancient DOS computers too.

Maybe I should get one at some point, just for fun.

 

[Dagan]

If my TV has been spying on me, it should have long already realized that I think half of what's on is stupid....and therefore, they should have done better by now.

 

[Judge]

Can you show a picture of that?
This might do the trick HDMI splitter and it has a switch.

I 'd think a splitter would do nothing to stop Roku's data harvesting. Probably my cable provider as well. After all, both are independently connected to the Internet directly through Ethernet ports. -Separate hardware devices from my television.

The HDMI for my Roku device then passes through my tv's primary HDMI, while my cable box (also using Ethernet) passes through my tv's secondary HDMI port. (I don't even use the cable box any more because it's redundant as my provider can be accessed through Roku.)

As far as I know, neither makes any connection to the smart devices on my television which I never use. My DVD player uses my tv's component video ports. It is old and has zero "smart" capabilities.