A smart TV is primarily a surveillance device that also happens to display video.
this post was submitted on 06 Aug 2025
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Some brands (LG and Samsung iirc) have been confirmed to send periodic screenshots of your content, no matter if it's through "smart apps" or HDMI.
I don't see how they could, the laptop isn't going to know what to do with them, they'd have to also get you to install something on the laptop which you'd obviously not do.
The TV takes screenshots of whatever is displayed on the TV screen, and sends the screenshots to TV HQ via the Internet connection of the TV
I seem to have misunderstood the point to their comment. They're lending support to the idea that you should unplug it from the internet whereas I initially thought they were saying that even if "unplugged" from the internet, OP's current setup wouldn't save their privacy anyway because the TV will send those screenshots to the internet whether it's by via the TV's own apps, or "through" the HDMI cable which in my mind implied either getting internet connectivity through that cable or at least sending the images to the laptop and having that send them. I couldn't see how that was supposed to work.
I realise now that's not their point at all, they're saying that if it's allowed to remain connected to the internet, simply abstaining from using the TV's own apps and using persistently a connected device via HDMI instead, it'll still send screenshots of that HDMI output through its own internet connection and so yes, indeed OP should disconnect the TV from the internet.
Signal goes the other way around. Laptop -> TV -> router -> somebody else's computer
Unequivocally yes. The less surveillance, the better.
should I unplug my smart _______ from the internet?
fill in the blank, it should always be yes.
I stoped using the smart function of tvs. I use one of that generic chinese things that you connect to the TV and it mirrors your phone. My TV is not connected it's like I'm watching netflix in my phone
edit: to make it clear I was afraid because my TV came with a fucking camera. Didn't like that so I disconected and also put a tape on the camera. WTF tv brands
Um yeah, definitely. My TV has never had Internet connectivity, not should it.
For the next TV look at commercial and industrial panels. You can usually find the display you want with none of the smart tv junk.
Search for ‘commercial display + brand name’
Yes.
Not only due to privacy concerns (my main concern), as the device will constantly ping home even when turned off. Other concern is it will download "updates", that eventually may render your tv browsing experience laggish.
Some tv sets have not only mics incorporated, but cameras, so it may depend on your level of concern.
Yes.
This is why I'm holding on to my "dumb" TV for as long as I can. Being able to pick and choose what streaming device I use is great, and if I have to build my own someday, that's just fine.
I still have a 720p dumb TV and I'm not getting rid of it. But my eyesight is terrible so 720p, 1080p, 4k don't really make much difference to me.
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If I were you, I wouldn't have let it have internet access in the first place. Try a factory reset and don't let it online, and you'll probably not even notice.
I have a box that connects to the internet for video things. The TV has and will never connect.
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You should've never connected it in the first place. Never even set up any functions that a piece of hardware prompts you to. Most of those are enforced only because the company behind them gains something from you having them set up. Unless you actually need something that depends on that function, disable the function.
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Yes.
Get a dumb TV, I've had great luck with the Specter brand, and hook up a set top box for your smart functionality.
Smart TVs spyon you, report on you, eat bandwidth even when off, and become out dated quickly.
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Yes
You could also do that "softly" with PiHole, if you intend to use some of the apps, but if you don't, it's only beneficial to disconnect it entirely from the internet.
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Yes.
As someone in a similar situation, entertainment PC connected, I've never connected my smart TV to the internet. There is no need.
Yes. I connected mine, checked for updates, then factory reset it and did not enter any network login.
This only works on certain brands I'm afraid...
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