The original post: /r/privacy by /u/Honest-Knee2482 on 2024-09-30 09:31:38.
Hey privacy folks, I wanted to share a recent experience that really opened my eyes to how invasive our “smart” devices can be. Last week, I was watching a show on my new smart TV when I noticed something weird in the settings menu. Turns out, my TV had been collecting data on everything I’ve watched, when I watched it, and for how long. It even had my location data! I did some digging and found out this is pretty common with smart TVs. They use a technology called Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) to track viewing habits and sell that data to advertisers. Crazy, right? Here’s what I did to lock things down:
- Disabled ACR in the TV settings (it was buried deep in the menus)
- Turned off the TV’s internet connection entirely
- Started using a separate streaming device (Roku) with stricter privacy settings
Now I’m paranoid about all my other “smart” devices. Has anyone else had similar revelations? What steps have you taken to protect your privacy at home? Also, does anyone know if there are any truly privacy-respecting smart TVs out there? Or is that just an oxymoron at this point? Stay vigilant, everyone. Big Tech is always watching!