+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: Watch What You Say Near Your TV

  1. Link to Post #1
    Finland Avalon Member rgray222's Avatar
    Join Date
    24th September 2010
    Language
    English
    Posts
    2,290
    Thanks
    8,985
    Thanked 21,020 times in 2,189 posts

    Default Watch What You Say Near Your TV

    Samsung Warns Customers To Think Twice About What They Say Near Smart TVs

    In a troubling new development in the domestic consumer surveillance debate, an investigation into Samsung Smart TVs has revealed that user voice commands are recorded, stored, and transmitted to a third party. The company even warns customers not to discuss personal or sensitive information within earshot of the device.



    This is in stark contrast to previous claims by tech manufacturers, like Playstation, who vehemently deny their devices record personal information, despite evidence to the contrary, including news that hackers can gain access to unencrypted streams of credit card information.

    The new Samsung controversy stems from the discovery of a single haunting statement in the company’s “privacy policy,” which states:
    “Please be aware that if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information, that information will be among the data captured and transmitted to a third party.”

    This sparked a back and forth between the Daily Beast and Samsung regarding not only consumer privacy but also security concerns. If our conversations are “captured and transmitted,” eavesdropping hackers may be able to use our “personal or other sensitive information” for identity theft or any number of nefarious purposes.

    There is also the concern that such information could be turned over to law enforcement or government agencies. With the revelation of the PRISM program — by which the NSA collected data from Microsoft, Google, and Facebook — and other such NSA spying programs, neither the government nor the private sector has the benefit of the doubt in claiming tech companies are not conscripted into divulging sensitive consumer info under the auspices of national security.

    Michael Price, counsel in the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at the NYU School of Law, stated:
    Quote “I do not doubt that this data is important to providing customized content and convenience, but it is also incredibly personal, constitutionally protected information that should not be for sale to advertisers and should require a warrant for law enforcement to access.”
    Responding to the controversy, Samsung updated its privacy policy, named its third party partner, and issued the following statement:
    Quote “Voice recognition, which allows the user to control the TV using voice commands, is a Samsung Smart TV feature, which can be activated or deactivated by the user. The TV owner can also disconnect the TV from the Wi-Fi network.”
    Under still more pressure, Samsung named its third party affiliate, Nuance Communications. In a statement to Anti-Media, Nuance said:
    Quote “Samsung is a Nuance customer. The data that Nuance collects is speech data. Nuance respects the privacy of its users in its use of speech data. Our use of such data is for the development and improvement of our voice recognition and natural language understanding technologies. As outlined in our privacy policy, third parties work under contract with Nuance, pursuant to confidentiality agreements, to help Nuance tailor and deliver the speech recognition and natural language service, and to help Nuance develop, tune, enhance, and improve its products and services.
    “We do not sell that speech data for marketing or advertising. Nuance does not have a relationship with government agencies to turn over consumer data…..There is no intention to trace these samples to specific people or users.”
    Nuance’s Wikipedia page mentions that the company maintains a small division for government and military system development, but that is not confirmed at this time.
    Despite protestations from these companies that our voice command data is not being traced to specific users or, worse, stored for use by government or law enforcement agencies, it seems that when it comes to constitutional civil liberties, the end zone keeps getting pushed further and further down the field.

    For years, technologists and smart device enthusiasts claimed webcam and voice recording devices did not store our information. While Samsung may be telling the truth about the use of that data, there are countless companies integrating smart technology who may not be using proper encryption methods and may have varying contractual obligations to government or law enforcement.

    Is it really safe for us to assume that the now exceedingly evident symbiotic relationship between multinational corporations and government agencies does not still include a revolving door for the sharing of sensitive consumer data?

    Source

  2. The Following 22 Users Say Thank You to rgray222 For This Post:

    bojancan (14th February 2016), Caliban (13th February 2016), Carmody (15th February 2016), ceetee9 (14th February 2016), Debra (13th February 2016), Ecnal61 (14th February 2016), fourty-two (13th February 2016), Foxie Loxie (14th February 2016), Hervé (13th February 2016), Ioneo (13th February 2016), Joe (13th February 2016), justntime2learn (13th February 2016), Lifebringer (13th February 2016), Mark (Star Mariner) (14th February 2016), Matt P (13th February 2016), Matthew (13th February 2016), Pam (14th February 2016), pyrangello (13th February 2016), Shannon (13th February 2016), Sierra (14th February 2016), Sunny-side-up (13th February 2016), WhiteLove (13th February 2016)

  3. Link to Post #2
    France On Sabbatical
    Join Date
    7th March 2011
    Location
    Brittany
    Posts
    16,763
    Thanks
    60,315
    Thanked 95,891 times in 15,481 posts

    Default Re: Watch What You Say Near Your TV

    "La réalité est un rêve que l'on fait atterrir" San Antonio AKA F. Dard

    Troll-hood motto: Never, ever, however, whatsoever, to anyone, a point concede.

  4. The Following 9 Users Say Thank You to Hervé For This Post:

    Debra (13th February 2016), Ecnal61 (14th February 2016), fourty-two (13th February 2016), Joe (13th February 2016), justntime2learn (13th February 2016), rgray222 (13th February 2016), Shannon (13th February 2016), Sierra (14th February 2016), Sunny-side-up (13th February 2016)

  5. Link to Post #3
    United States Avalon Member ghostrider's Avatar
    Join Date
    6th February 2011
    Location
    Sand Springs Ok
    Age
    58
    Posts
    7,427
    Thanks
    9,893
    Thanked 28,794 times in 6,634 posts

    Default Re: Watch What You Say Near Your TV

    Another step towards AI , robots , and a rogue cyber army the military wont be able to control , the central net of our future enemy will be in everything-smart cars , phones, TVs, all interconnected ... the trampling of the fourth amendment opened the door to the end of freedom ...they have handprint recognition now, eye scans , body scans, they track your movements, and now your own voice in the privacy of your home ...
    Raiding the Matrix One Mind at a Time ...

  6. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to ghostrider For This Post:

    Foxie Loxie (14th February 2016), Joe (13th February 2016), rgray222 (13th February 2016), Sunny-side-up (13th February 2016)

  7. Link to Post #4
    United States Avalon Member
    Join Date
    7th June 2015
    Posts
    653
    Thanks
    1,845
    Thanked 4,527 times in 642 posts

    Default Re: Watch What You Say Near Your TV

    Orwell knew what was coming.
    If you don't own a smart tv, don't buy one. If you do, do what you can to disconnect wifi when not in use.
    Turn off webcams on laptops when not in use.
    Let's not hand them our lives on silver platters.

  8. The Following 7 Users Say Thank You to Caliban For This Post:

    Foxie Loxie (14th February 2016), Ioneo (13th February 2016), Joe (14th February 2016), Joseph McAree (13th February 2016), muxfolder (14th February 2016), rgray222 (13th February 2016), Shannon (13th February 2016)

  9. Link to Post #5
    United States Moderator (on Sabbatical) Shannon's Avatar
    Join Date
    12th August 2015
    Posts
    1,295
    Thanks
    20,468
    Thanked 7,063 times in 1,211 posts

    Default Re: Watch What You Say Near Your TV

    Huh. And to think, I used to be one of those peeps who thought technology made life easier and was fun.

    Yikes!

  10. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Shannon For This Post:

    Joe (14th February 2016), rgray222 (14th February 2016)

  11. Link to Post #6
    Avalon Member uzn's Avatar
    Join Date
    7th March 2015
    Location
    Earth for now
    Posts
    1,792
    Thanks
    5,266
    Thanked 14,168 times in 1,747 posts

    Default Re: Watch What You Say Near Your TV

    What i heard is that Hollywood will do a remake of 1984 real soon. Because it describes the world we live in now perfectly. Like the propaganda, deception and manufactured conflicts.

  12. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to uzn For This Post:

    Joe (14th February 2016), rgray222 (16th February 2016), Shannon (14th February 2016)

  13. Link to Post #7
    Administrator Mark (Star Mariner)'s Avatar
    Join Date
    15th November 2011
    Language
    English
    Posts
    4,397
    Thanks
    29,153
    Thanked 35,493 times in 4,308 posts

    Default Re: Watch What You Say Near Your TV

    It's interesting isn't it that in George Orwell's 1984, every personal viewing screen (a TV basically, that everyone had in their living room), had a secret listening device and camera hiding inside of it. This was a security measure of the Thought Police. You never had the freedom of action or even conversation in your own home.
    "When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace."
    ~ Jimi Hendrix

  14. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Mark (Star Mariner) For This Post:

    Joe (14th February 2016), rgray222 (16th February 2016), Shannon (14th February 2016)

  15. Link to Post #8
    Avalon Member Orph's Avatar
    Join Date
    16th July 2011
    Location
    I don't know, because I've lost my mind.
    Age
    69
    Posts
    864
    Thanks
    10,544
    Thanked 5,409 times in 838 posts

    Default Re: Watch What You Say Near Your TV

    Quote Posted by Joe (here)

    Gesture Control. .... the camera mounted on the top of your SmartTV can recognize your movements.
    Yes folks, if you're watching one of our esteamed leaders on TV, ............. (Well, they get us "steamed", and we's sure like to "steam" them back), .......... go ahead, flip 'em off. Drop your pants and show 'em your stink-hole. They're watching.
    I am enlightened, ............ Oh wait. That's just the police shining their spotlights on me.

  16. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to Orph For This Post:

    conk (16th February 2016), Joe (14th February 2016), rgray222 (16th February 2016), Shannon (14th February 2016), sirdipswitch (14th February 2016)

  17. Link to Post #9
    United States Avalon Member Michelle Marie's Avatar
    Join Date
    5th June 2011
    Location
    Oregon
    Posts
    2,626
    Thanks
    27,304
    Thanked 17,097 times in 2,584 posts

    Default Re: Watch What You Say Near Your TV

    It's probably smarter not to have a smart tv.

    Anything with the label of smart seems to have surveillance capabilities.

    Intuitive reality seems to perceive the intentions underlying the man made devices. Our innate intelligence helps us avoid them.

    What solutions can we come up with to neutralize the invasive frequencies? Together we will provide innovative solutions. There's a lot of genius here on this forum. I trust that.

    Love,
    MM
    ~*~ "The best way to predict the future is to create it." - Peter Drucker ~*~ “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children...to leave the world a better place...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson ~*~ "Creative minds always have been known to survive any kind of bad training." - Anna Freud ~*~

  18. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Michelle Marie For This Post:

    Joe (14th February 2016), rgray222 (16th February 2016)

  19. Link to Post #10
    United States Avalon Member Warlock's Avatar
    Join Date
    12th May 2011
    Location
    Los Angeles
    Posts
    228
    Thanks
    372
    Thanked 775 times in 184 posts

    Default Re: Watch What You Say Near Your TV

    Sorry to tell you, but this has been going on since the late 1980's.

    One of my friends, who was reluctant to tell me the story, was watched thru his television. He had cable of course. He cancelled shortly thereafter.

    There is a bit more to the story, but I can't get into that right now.

    Warlock
    Ignorance is Bliss

  20. The Following User Says Thank You to Warlock For This Post:

    rgray222 (14th March 2016)

  21. Link to Post #11
    United States Avalon Member halcyon026's Avatar
    Join Date
    1st February 2016
    Posts
    104
    Thanks
    203
    Thanked 501 times in 97 posts

    Default Re: Watch What You Say Near Your TV

    This may have been said, but I wanted to mention that if you're concerned with being heard/watched from your smart devices (TV's, Blu-Ray player, etc), simply don't connect them to the internet & a TV service/antenna, don't plug in the ethernet cable and don't connect to your WiFi, don't hookup to cable or satellite and you're smart device will be a dumb device.

    Of course some will want to use the 'smart' features so disconnecting from the internet won't be a solution for you.

    Personally I use only a PC connected to my TV (TV not connected to internet), the PC acts as the blu-ray player / media player, I don't use cable or satellite TV services, nor local channels via antenna.
    Last edited by halcyon026; 14th March 2016 at 16:58.

  22. The Following User Says Thank You to halcyon026 For This Post:

    rgray222 (14th March 2016)

  23. Link to Post #12
    Avalon Member Carmody's Avatar
    Join Date
    19th August 2010
    Location
    Winning The Galactic Lottery
    Posts
    11,389
    Thanks
    17,597
    Thanked 82,316 times in 10,234 posts

    Default Re: Watch What You Say Near Your TV

    I simply don't own devices that have such hardware built into them, and no internet connections on any of them. Even the cell phone. It's off and never used, in most cases.
    Interdimensional Civil Servant

  24. Link to Post #13
    Unsubscribed
    Join Date
    26th September 2010
    Posts
    447
    Thanks
    232
    Thanked 1,941 times in 376 posts

    Default Re: Watch What You Say Near Your TV

    FYI. Check your cable boxes for cameras too.

+ Reply to Thread

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts