this post was submitted on 25 Oct 2026
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privacy

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A hacker reverse-engineered his own Samsung TV and found alarming spying activity, including code that used connected devices' microphones to listen to users.

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[–] IchNichtenLichten@lemmy.wtf 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I hope they get sued into oblivion for this. Maybe there's something in the terms and conditions but I don't see how this would apply to people who can't give consent like children and guests.

[–] tempest@lemmy.ca 4 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago)

It's almost certainly in the legalese they used in the EULA everyone that uses them agreed to. What it won't be, is clear that this was the intention.

[–] Smaile@lemmy.ca 6 points 1 day ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

Knew that shit was listening, now we know where one of the points where.

[–] NigelFrobisher@aussie.zone 2 points 20 hours ago

There are models for cracking and reverse-engineering. Obv the mainline ones are supposed to have guards against that.

[–] tempest@lemmy.ca 34 points 2 days ago

Smart TVs were pretty clearly designed for exactly this purpose.

[–] bampop@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

For targeted ads. I mean, given that there's a spy device building a detailed profile of your behavior in the "privacy" of your own home, they wouldn't use it for anything more nefarious than targeted ads, right?

[–] BillyTheKid2@lemmy.ca 2 points 22 hours ago

"oops our database leaked again"

[–] BCsven@lemmy.ca 1 points 20 hours ago

Wasn't the LG one that LG could locate a person of interest and then listen in, like what a shady government would do with some Israeli technology

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago (3 children)

We were considering replacing our old Samsung with a newer one. The "old one" is from the pre-AI era. Now it looks like the old one will stay for a while...

[–] Auli@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

AI has nothing to do with this and it was happening before AI became a thing. Data is king and companies want to sell it.

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 3 points 19 hours ago

But it also precedes snooping, too. Which shows how old it is. But it has Ethernet, and can access the local mediaservers. It actually only calls home when I use "check for updates". Which I have not done in years, and won't do until it dies, because it works.

[–] Alcyonaria@piefed.world 11 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (5 children)

You can get slop-free ones by purchasing "commercial monitors"

[–] Auli@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Just buy a TV and don't connect it to the internet. And none of this has anything to do with AI. Its data you know how Google makes its money why TVs are still so cheap. LG makes more money selling your dsts then they do selling the TVs I imaging Samsung is the same.

[–] definitemaybe@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I recall reading that some SmartTVs will attempt to connect to open wireless networks, fully in the background, to set up a connection for delivering telemetry and downloading ads.

If that's accurate, then any neighbour running a guest network could make you vulnerable.

I would be interested to hear if anyone knows if this is an urban legend or legitimate concern.

[–] BillyTheKid2@lemmy.ca 2 points 22 hours ago

You could always just flood your neighbors network, making it unusable.

Or is you have a good relationship with them you could ask them to turn the signal strength down- lots of routers support this. Or openWRT

[–] BillyTheKid2@lemmy.ca 1 points 21 hours ago

That's what I do. You can actually get them super cheap is you dig enough. They're essentially just a screen with hdmi- no speakers no other ports etc. great for what I do.

If you don't dig they look expensive.

[–] qupada@fedia.io 5 points 1 day ago

There may also be an overlap with models called "digital signage displays", depending on brand.

They can be great because they're warrantied for 24/7 use, unlike the regular kind. But otherwise are just a display, all TV capability gone, and the smart features are limited to centralised remote control over the network.

The Samsung ones we use at work for the likes of CCTV are so stripped down they don't even have the ability to update their firmware over the network. Gotta load that onto a USB drive.

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

That's the plan.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Too rich for my blood. I use a 40" for my PC monitor and a 55" on the wall for streaming pirated movies and shows.

What's weird is that my second TV works as a second monitor with while showing no internet. It's certainly not a listed DHCP lease. WTH?!

[–] BillyTheKid2@lemmy.ca 1 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

Some kind of ad-hoc connection? Bluetooth or .. Miracast or .. there's a few others

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 2 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

Turns out it was plugged directly into my NUC because I'm an idiot. 🤷🏼

[–] BillyTheKid2@lemmy.ca 1 points 11 hours ago

Haha, well glad like you got it sorted

[–] aksdb@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Or you keep them offline and use a dedicated “smart” device like an Apple TV or Android TV.

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago (2 children)

That just moves the problem to a different company. None of which is any better in the long run.

[–] Auli@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 day ago

So then don't connect the TV to anything I guess. Except a PC running jellyfin or Kodi.

[–] aksdb@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Cheaper to replace. And in case of Android TV also more open.

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

How about a nice RPi500 as a media center?

[–] aksdb@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Depends what you are consuming. Your local library? Sure (if you have a nice way for remote control). If you want Netflix, Prime, etc, then missing DRM is an issue (between missing and super hacky).

[–] ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)
[–] Auli@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 day ago

Easier to not give them network access.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago

My TV's a little older, but this finally got me off my ass to firewall it. Turns out it's not online.