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[Griffon]

Just don't connect it to the internet.

 

[wvnative]

Turn the internet off on the tv?

 

[sublimit]

You will never be safe OP...

 

[rodrigolfp]

What do you have to hide?

 

[KungFucius]

How the fuck can a SMART TV know what is coming in over an HDMI input? Just hook a PC up to it and do whatever you want on the PC so only Microsoft and Google know what you are doing.

 

[The Pleasure]

lol I for one do not care about my devices spying on me. I just loudly talk about things I want discounts on..."man I wish we could get JETS Pizza for dinner"...and magically in a few days I have an email from them with a promo code

If i keep saying i want a Panasonic plasma tv in 4k will it get made? Because fuck led.

 

[AnotherOne]

Worries about tv spying on you but most likely has Facebook and a cellphone.

 

[AJUMP23]

They are not spying so much as selling the data and tracking it. They aren't looking for nefarious activity and all your porn, they are seeing this guy uses this app this often and watches this show. They actually do care that you are watching 90 day fiancé because that is numbers they sell to advertisers. Also Vizio gets their TVs so cheap because they make more on the back end selling data.

When I bought my CX the first thing I did was turn on the do not track me or sell my data thing. I don't know that it does anything, but it does make you feel good.

 

[Alebrije]

What do you have to hide?

 

[ZoukGalaxy]

Be careful... they are just BEHIND YOU ! WATCH IT !
Also, nobody cares that your are watching PORN on your TV.

More seriously, WTF ? JUST DON'T CONNECT YOUR TV TO INTERNET if your are so paranoid and concerned about this ! DONE.

They are NO PROBLEM here !

 

[Miles708]

Nobody on the receiving end of these "spying" gadgets gives a shit what you're doing, unless you're a bomb maker or a kiddy fiddler.
Just chill and get the TV you want.

Data selling for ad purposes it's a multi-billion industry, you know.
How do you think Google makes money.

 

[Kataploom]

In times of cancel culture when even big tech companies kneel to political groups people still say dumb shit like "nObOdY wAnTs To SeE yOu MaStUrBaTiNg "... Even after the Cambridge Analytics fiasco...

OP wants GAF to give him options, not to judge the reasons he wants the options as if that made the ones critizicing look smarter.

OT: I can find some dumb TVs in my country but all of them are under 40"... Or they were till 2 years ago, right now I can't find something like that over 32", unfortunately...

 

[Miles708]

I've heard there are dumb tv's for non-consumer markets, meaning more enterprise/commercial markets. Sadly I don't know where to find those, but I know they're quite expensive.

 

[ShirAhava]

Open up the smart TV and physically damage the Wi-Fi chip and Ethernet port

Dip Router and Modem in a vat of sulfuric acid

Cut coaxial/fiber cords coming out of wall outlet

Burn down home/apartment complex

Nuke village/town/city

Render earth inhospitable to life via Stolen Alien Tech

Obtain a CRT Monitor

BOOM.....Now you are private AF

 

[Valt7786]

Data selling for ad purposes it's a multi-billion industry, you know.
How do you think Google makes money.

Well aware of that, thank you. It still barely makes any difference to your general life. Oh no, an ad that might be for something I like, how horrendous. All this topic does is make people sound like paranoid conspiracy nuts who want to live in the woods. If Google knowing I like Vidya games and tiddies means I can keep using a functional toilet, thats a sacrifice im willing to make.

 

[Miles708]

Well aware of that, thank you. It still barely makes any difference to your general life. Oh no, an ad that might be for something I like, how horrendous. All this topic does is make people sound like paranoid conspiracy nuts who want to live in the woods. If Google knowing I like Vidya games and tiddies means I can keep using a functional toilet, thats a sacrifice im willing to make.

It's nice to not have a TV listening to your every word. Why should it even happen really.
But again, people actually bought Alexa devices just to wiretap their homes for no benefit, so I get your thinking.

...actually, I don't. Why should a TV listen to me, heck.

 

[Jokerevo]

My TV is 007 then because I'm convinced there is no spy.

 

[Nitty_Grimes]

Yeah, I hear the LG's have telescopic cameras built in that can go right up your butthole at night....

Korean technology!

That must be why my mate bought the new LG OLED last week. Not spoken to him since.

 

[Nothing Unusual]

Hell even my security camera's are a pain to get a good connection from on mobile. I can only imagine the horrid slideshow "They" must be seeing.

 

[Tickle My Tendies]

Being spied on is part of the fun. Knowing my TV is watching my every move makes me feel like Neo, from The Matrix.

Except, instead of being able to fly and do kung fu stuff, I can watch a lot of porn from the comfort of my sofa.

Basically the same thing, really.

 

[BusierDonkey]

Yeah, I hear the LG's have telescopic cameras built in that can go right up your butthole at night....

Korean technology!

Where do they sell these TVs? I only need to know so I can avoid them when I buy my next TV and not for other reasons.

 

[Unknown?]

Nobody on the receiving end of these "spying" gadgets gives a shit what you're doing, unless you're a bomb maker or a kiddy fiddler.
Just chill and get the TV you want.

They don't? Is that why data brokers make over 200 billion a year? It doesn't just effect ads you know.

If there is a "non-smart" TV alternative depends on the country you live in. In Germany, we have a company called Technisat who sells 49 and 55 inch "Monitors" (https://www.technisat.com/en_XX/MONITORLINE-UHD-55/352-22087-22089/) which are basically non-smart 4k TVs.

I'm still waiting for a newer revision with 65" and HDMI 2.1 to get rid of the smart TVs at home. Not because I think they are spying but they are a constant source of trouble and something like an Apple TV works 10 times better than any build in Smart TV functionality.

49 inch monitor would be perfect! I'll see if I can import one.

Projectors usually lack Smart BS.

Thanks, I did not even think of this but I will look into it.

the irony of this question being asked on a public forum, using either a PC or a Phone that is permanently connected to the internet tho...

My phone is degoogled and doesn't run stock android. How is it ironic that someone can't completely flip a switch for privacy? Some people have to do things one at a time.

 

[LazyParrot]

Can't you just, like, not connect it to the internet? TVs can do some crazy shit these days, but I'm pretty sure they can't hack your WiFi while you're asleep or whatever and connect on their own. Not yet, anyway.

 

[zcaa0g]

Yes, get an old Zenith or Magnavox TV.

 

[Dr. Claus]

These days anything "Smart" is spyware. TVs know what you watch and constantly send data to home as much as your phone does these days and can listen to you via microphone or even emit ultra sonic beacons to other devices that humans can't hear. Even disabling the WiFi doesn't mean it's necessarily safe if you have public hotspots in your area it can connect to.

So are there any TVs being sold that don't have android or other smart OS BS? Or do I have to just buy monitors from here on out that don't have baked in smart bloat?

You aren’t important enough for anyone to care about your watching habits. Take off the tinfoil hat.

 

[Soodanim]

There aren’t nearly enough mentions of Pi Hole, which seems to be the best method by far. It means you can still get whatever TV you want and not have to worry about the rest of it.

Miles708 makes a good point. When you walk into a business and see a TV (even fast food) it’s not going to be a model you find in your local electronics store, but you’ll need to find a company that sells those sorts of models. Beware though, you’re not going to get LG CX quality in something that’s meant to be an output device for something else. You’re probably going to get 2 HDMI and that’s it. I remember looking up the model number for a Samsung when I worked in retail and it’s not the sort of thing that’s highly documented online.

 

[Valt7786]

They don't? Is that why data brokers make over 200 billion a year? It doesn't just effect ads you know.

Not in the sense that it will make any difference to your life. What has anyone done with your TV watching habit-data that has had a direct impact on your life?

 

[Kamina]

if You care about "spying" you must go live in a forest unfortunately

 

[xrnzaaas]

The only time I connected my new TV to the Internet was to see if it needs new firmware installed. After that it went to back being offline.

Generally I think there's a big loophole for companies with smart TV's, because you don't get the option to choose if you want your data to be sent and to what extent. Or at least I didn't get a privacy option when I was configuring the tv for the first time.

 

[Miles708]

The only time I connected my new TV to the Internet was to see if it needs new firmware installed. After that it went to back being offline.

Generally I think there's a big loophole for companies with smart TV's, because you don't get the option to choose if you want your data to be sent and to what extent. Or at least I didn't get a privacy option when I was configuring the tv for the first time.

AD-selling is factored in the price of the devices, that's how they got lower prices while getting larger margins. That's also why you can't really turn it off.
Some TVs try to connect to every single wifi they find before entering the connection data, and I guess it's a matter of time before they'll come with integrated wifi to do it in a more transparent way.

Not in the sense that it will make any difference to your life. What has anyone done with your TV watching habit-data that has had a direct impact on your life?

Direct-impact I'd say, honestly, fairly little.
Also you're most likely a number so some AD-selling exchange only has your browsing history, channel selection, purchase history etc, together with all the others. What do they do with that is anyone's guess, selling products is just the most straightforward (and likely) use.

Don't take this as an attack, but rather as a silly thought experiment: if I personally mailed you a microphone to put in your living room, would you let me listen to your house? I would promise to have little to no impact on your daily life.

 

[nkarafo]

Don't connect your TV to the internet. Better connect a PC and do all your online stuff through that. It's better since you can also disable ads you couldn't if you used those crappy TV apps.

 

[Flutta]

Sadly OP people are becoming mindless sheep as you can see in this thread. Do some google searches and i bet you’ll find what you’re looking for.

 

[Garibaldi]

Nobody wants to watch you jerk off in the living room.

What about the kitchen? Would they watch me there? I'm trying to get together content for my onlyfans.

 

[LazyParrot]

Not in the sense that it will make any difference to your life. What has anyone done with your TV watching habit-data that has had a direct impact on your life?

Eh, you can be against it on principle. I don't watch anything at all, so this doesn't really affect me, but I don't like the idea of someone keeping track of what I do and selling that information for money I'll never see a single cent of. They got my money, I got my TV. Done deal. They're not giving me anything else on top of that, so why should I let them monetize my viewing habits?

 

[reksveks]

The OP is half correct and then throws it away by claiming that even if you turn it off WiFi, it would still be able to track your viewing habits.

Yes, TV's do track what you watch. No, TV's don't track what you speak unless you have activated the wake word.

LG devices allow you to turn off the 'cookie' but it ain't really a cookie. That stops tracking though their description is a bit misleading.

Eh, you can be against it on principle. I don't watch anything at all, so this doesn't really affect me, but I don't like the idea of someone keeping track of what I do and selling that information for money I'll never see a single cent of. They got my money, I got my TV. Done deal. They're not giving me anything else on top of that, so why should I let them monetize my viewing habits?

That's a business strategy for some TV manufacturers, I am okay with some purchases/industries being ad funded. Think the larger issue is that we as consumers don't really understand the margins per product.

 

[Valonquar]

just use a Pi-Hole

 

[Drew1440]

For now you can just not connect the TV to WiFi or Ethernet or if your router allows it, block internet access but allow network access, which stops the TV connecting to the internet but allows your to stream from local DLNA/NAS storage.

In the future when 5G becomes a broadcast standard and TV's start coming equipped with 5G modems/tuners, then its going to be a problem.

 

[beepboopbopflop]

You’re worried about a TV? That should be the least of your concerns

 

[MiguelItUp]

A TV? This sounds like paranoia TBH. If you're that concerned disable any functionality that involves voice recognition or anything of the nature. Or, just don't connect it to Wi-Fi?

Not sure what else to offer in a world where smart TVs are the norm and voice recognition is becoming more common.

 

[GAMETA]

You're on the internet, surrounded by cameras everywhere, likely onw a smartphone, every service you subscribe to, including GAF, holds information about you one way or the other.

Let's say we're living 1984's world, the Big Bro doesn't need your TV to know and monitor what you're doing, my friend.

 

[HTK]

If you don't want to be spied on I suggest you throw away anything that plugs into an outlet and anything that has a battery in it. Best of luck in your new life.

 

[GymWolf]

I use my oled tv as a pc monitor, never even used the smart stuff inside, panasonic know jack shit about me.

 

[buenoblue]

It's too late lol. What about all the devices your gonna plug in to the tv? Phones? ISP?

 

[Keihart]

OP could also build a faraday cage around his house or electronics room and not be arsed anymore, you know, like a huge tinfoil hat.

 

[e&e]

Man, you might need to unplug completely since EVERYTHING spies on you if you are that paranoid. Once you connect to the internet then good luck...

 

[The_Mike]

OP

 

[makaveli60]

It's really sad and worrying that so many of you don't take this seriously. Did any of you read Orwell's 1984? Today you might feel safe, but what if one day all these data will be used against you for any reason? For example you were reading pro-Trump pages and oh you are a terrorist then, let's go to the gulag. Please people, use your brains...

 

[A.Romero]

Wouldn't just not plug a cable and/or configure Wifi be enough to keep the TV out of reach? Or we are going into conspiracy levels and assuming they are connecting silently to a Wifi that is only visible to them so they can extract data?

I mean, it would be quite a scandal if someone found out TV's were connecting without their user's consent to a wifi silently. Right?

 

[DESTROYA]

Here you go OP a 55” monitor or is that to small.

Amazon.com: Philips Momentum 558M1RY 55" Console Gaming Monitor, 4K UHD @ 120Hz, Bowers and Wilkins Audio, FreeSync Premium Pro, Low Input lag, DisplayHDR1000, Ambiglow, 4Yr Advance Replacement : Everything Else

Amazon.com: Philips Momentum 558M1RY 55" Console Gaming Monitor, 4K UHD @ 120Hz, Bowers and Wilkins Audio, FreeSync Premium Pro, Low Input lag, DisplayHDR1000, Ambiglow, 4Yr Advance Replacement : Everything Else

www.amazon.com

Or you can just not input your WiFi information

 

[reksveks]

It's really sad and worrying that so many of you don't take this seriously. Did any of you read Orwell's 1984? Today you might feel safe, but what if one day all these data will be used against you for any reason? For example you were reading pro-Trump pages and oh you are a terrorist then, let's go to the gulag. Please people, use your brains...

You would get that information from the isp logs not your TV though