Television Spying on user

[jamil]

IANAexpert, but it would seem if you stream content (as in Netflix etc) directly to TV (hence smart TV) then it has to have connection authority through any firewall. Nothing preventing it from sending data on you to aggregator at that time

If you want to keep the conveniences of smart TVs then you need to live with the understanding that the TV sends out information in the background. What kind? Well, it's going to send out maintenance information anyway. It's going to check for system updates, for example. But apparently Visio and several others, send out information about usage. But I wouldn't say that's "spying" on you. It would be stuff like its model and serial number, IP address, what channels it's tuned to, what times it's on, stuff like that. It's not sending video streams of you watching it.

And if you're really curious what they're sending, you can always learn to use a network analyzer. There are several free ones out there you can download. Now, if it's encrypted, you're not going to know anything other than it's sending and receiving stuff, which any smart TV will do in normal operation. But if it's communicating in the clear, you'll get to see what some of what it's sending is.

As far as a firewall, with my setup I can see a map of all connected devices on my network, and if I want I can block an individual device. But, if it's blocked, I don't get the services. So, it's like I said. You make a choice. You decide if you want convenience at the price of privacy.

 

[BugI02]

Unless you are completely free of electronic, I don't see how you can say that.
Any electronics can spy on you, and they can tell you it's "just a radio", but how do you know.
Unless it's a radio you built, or one made of old fashioned discrete components.

Correct. Privacy in the current era is about spending a great deal of time learning and continuously blocking the holes in the informational sieve, with likely less than 100% success; or about being uninteresting enough to mostly blend into the background in the torrent of captured information

I HATE to be sold and I HATE to be bothered. I don't willingly open holes in my already tattered veil of privacy or give up any information about myself for any reason. I accept restrictions on my personal phone rather than be supplied a phone by my employer. I monitor all my apps for loosening of restrictions on access when they update. I restrict apps ability to run or process information in the background. I don't need facetube notifications on/to my phone or desktop. I'm willing to miss knowing instantly what someone I know is having for lunch. Anybody who NEEDS to be able to contact me on short notice can. Everybody else, not so much. I run a pretty buttoned down desktop. My laptop is work-supplied and buttoned up very tight. If people want information about me they can pay me for it. It takes surprisingly little work, after the system is set, to maintain a pretty high level of obfuscation (todays analogue of privacy)

Easily 99% of what a google search on my full real name turns up is about other people, and I am quite happy about that. To sift out the 1% that is germane would require having some detailed knowledge about me already on hand. Again if knowledgeable people become sufficiently interested in you, you have very little privacy; so I try to stay uninteresting


ETA: "Get off my (digital) lawn!"

 

[jamil]

Easily 99% of what a google search on my full real name turns up is about other people, and I am quite happy about that. To sift out the 1% that is germane would require having some detailed knowledge about me already on hand. Again if knowledgeable people become sufficiently interested in you, you have very little privacy; so I try to stay uninteresting


ETA: "Get off my (digital) lawn!"

If you're that worried about it, change your name to John Smith. Nothing obscures as openly as noise.

Wait. You use google? They spy on you too. Seems if you care that much about all that you'd use DuckDuckGo instead.

 

[BugI02]

I'm not worried about it, but I am realistic about it. I don't worry about the government reading my emails because I assume google already has

I plug what leaks I can with the amount of effort I am willing to devote. I conduct myself as I would on a company computer - assume that anything and everything you write could (not necessarily will) be read and analyzed

As far as burying my signal in the noise, I already covered that. Glad we agree

 

[BugI02]

ROTFL, however, about the idea that a consumer electronic device that reports on your habits is not a bug but a feature

 

[Alamo]

And if you gaze long into the internet, the internet also gazes into you.

 

[Spear Dane]

That this happens has been known for several years now. It's the reason I do not own a wi-fi enabled 'smart' tv.

 

[gregr]

If you're that worried about it, change your name to John Smith. Nothing obscures as openly as noise.

Wait. You use google? They spy on you too. Seems if you care that much about all that you'd use DuckDuckGo instead.

I will not use google, as they`ve reportedly been one of the primary ones that have gathered data, and gladly shared with government.

And really, the point isn`t whether anyone has anything to hide, it`s about business and government being out of control.

 

[jamil]

I will not use google, as they`ve reportedly been one of the primary ones that have gathered data, and gladly shared with government.

And really, the point isn`t whether anyone has anything to hide, it`s about business and government being out of control.

Of course not. That's never a valid reason to support abusing people's privacy. And Google cooperating with the government makes it in that realm. But what we're talking about is what Visio is doing, sending usage data to their servers to collect and give to third parties to make extra money. I can see being upset with that if they're doing it without your knowledge, which it sounds like Visio has gotten some blowback for doing.

 

[JettaKnight]

I will not use google, as they`ve reportedly been one of the primary ones that have gathered data, and gladly shared with government.

And really, the point isn`t whether anyone has anything to hide, it`s about business and government being out of control.

Would it be better if government (aka Big Brother) tells businesses what they can and can't do?

Vizio isn't do anything illegal unless there's more laws made up.

 

[Leo]

Welcome to the digital age. Any system that can bring information into your house can take information back out.

Of course they will never illegally collect data against your will, just like the NICS destroys all records after 90 days because the law protects your privacy...............

 

[Spike Jones 5 2002]

There is no information in the manual about the TV collecting my personal data.
There was no mention about them collecting information until the message flashed on the screen.
I only found out who was collecting the information when I contacted Concast.
to date the message has now flashed on screen two more times.
Each time I followed instruction to disable it.

To anyone that thinks this is OK.
How do you feel about the anti gun right people obtaining your firearm purchases and information.

 

[actaeon277]

There is no information in the manual about the TV collecting my personal data.
There was no mention about them collecting information until the message flashed on the screen.
I only found out who was collecting the information when I contacted Concast.
to date the message has now flashed on screen two more times.
Each time I followed instruction to disable it.

To anyone that thinks this is OK.
How do you feel about the anti gun right people obtaining your firearm purchases and information.

The TV asked, with a license agreement that most people ignore.
They shouldn't ignore an agreement that they are agreeing to.

 

[Leo]

There is no information in the manual about the TV collecting my personal data.
There was no mention about them collecting information until the message flashed on the screen.
I only found out who was collecting the information when I contacted Concast.
to date the message has now flashed on screen two more times.
Each time I followed instruction to disable it.

To anyone that thinks this is OK.
How do you feel about the anti gun right people obtaining your firearm purchases and information.

I don't like or agree with any of this, but it is a fact of life. I clear all cookies and completely shut down my computer every time I turn it off, and sure enough, whatever item I searched for the last session will come up in a half dozen ads from sellers. I look at any computerized device the same as the biggest blabbermouth in the community. What ever I say will get to the lowest human scum and the highest levels of authority. It will surely get to those of evil intent. There are many people with Phd's in predictive psychology employed by the government and corporations who have developed technology to know you enough to enslave you. It ain't right.

Caveat Emptor

 

[singlesix]

So the lesson here is that if you work in customer service you'll get calls from panicked consumers raising all kinds of cane about something the company had no control over.

 

[JettaKnight]

To anyone that thinks this is OK:
How do you feel about the anti gun right people obtaining your firearm purchases and information.

Am I engaging in business with them?


Am I buying a gun from someone that is disseminating information about that purchase to a third party?



...and a lot of us like to brag to anti-gunners we know about our latest acquisitions - anything to get them hot under the collar.

 

[JettaKnight]

I don't like or agree with any of this, but it is a fact of life. I clear all cookies and completely shut down my computer every time I turn it off, and sure enough, whatever item I searched for the last session will come up in a half dozen ads from sellers. I look at any computerized device the same as the biggest blabbermouth in the community. What ever I say will get to the lowest human scum and the highest levels of authority. It will surely get to those of evil intent. There are many people with Phd's in predictive psychology employed by the government and corporations who have developed technology to know you enough to enslave you. It ain't right.

Caveat Emptor

Like Candy Crush or Facebook?

 

[singlesix]

Meta-Data, Big Data, Credit Cards, Reward Programs, etc, etc ... unless you only do cash purchases, "they" know about you. Personally I think "they" are wonderful people and have out best interest, all hail to the "they" ... do I need purple.

 

[HoughMade]

Meta-Data, Big Data, Credit Cards, Reward Programs, etc, etc ... unless you only do cash purchases, "they" know about you. Personally I think "they" are wonderful people and have out best interest, all hail to the "they" ... do I need purple.

Just remember that the "paranoid" ones are the ones who want a bill of sale when they sell a gun.

 

[russc2542]

The "we're spying on you" clause is usually buried in the 20 pages of 6pt legaleze end user licence agreement you click "OK" to rather than reading or sometimes even smaller on the back page of the manual "by using this device/software you agree to..."

That this happens has been known for several years now. It's the reason I do not own a wi-fi enabled 'smart' tv.

This^

I don't like or agree with any of this, but it is a fact of life. I clear all cookies and completely shut down my computer every time I turn it off, and sure enough, whatever item I searched for the last session will come up in a half dozen ads from sellers. I look at any computerized device the same as the biggest blabbermouth in the community. What ever I say will get to the lowest human scum and the highest levels of authority. It will surely get to those of evil intent. There are many people with Phd's in predictive psychology employed by the government and corporations who have developed technology to know you enough to enslave you. It ain't right.

Caveat Emptor

"They" figured out how to track users without using cookies years ago. Even without a unique id# or cookie the combination of hardware, software, IP location, and what you're looking at are more than enough. Mobile browsers seldom use cookies but are very good at tracking users.

The gov't wants the info but money's in private industry so the development's moving better there. They just happen to give it to the gov't with half a reason.