Is your TV spying on you, /g/?

Yes you idiot

>"Vizio collected unique data from each household with a Vizio smart TV that included not only second-by-second viewing information, but also the household’s IP address, nearby access points, zip code, and other information,” the FTC said in ablog post explaining the settlement.

>"They also shared that information with other companies."

File: IMG_20170207_082609.jpg (198KB, 1080x898px) Image search: [Google]

198KB, 1080x898px

>>58833570

File: 20080203_0147.jpg (56KB, 485x325px) Image search: [Google]

56KB, 485x325px

No, I only buy TVs from the pre-botnet era.

File: help.gif (1MB, 300x200px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 300x200px

I think so
I guess the mic is always listening
btw
>samshit botnet tv
>annoying popups from time to time
>if I want to take part in this and that program
>decline everything it offers me
>don't even agree to any terms
>just want to watch tv
>get extra ads from my tv
>when the ad pops up I can press exit
>ad disappears
>ad reappears 5 sec later
>exit again
>ad reappears 5 sec later
>exit again
>ad reappears until I give up and let it run for the full time

this is the future we all chose

>>58833553
>implying I have a smart TV

File: hina_the_savior.png (296KB, 400x400px) Image search: [Google]

296KB, 400x400px

>>58833623
Why have your tv connected to the internet in the first place?
If you want smartfeautures you probably should get a chromecast or firestick, then you won't have to put up with this shit.

>>58833553
i have a vizio smart tv

how do i get my moneys

I'm not dumb enough to buy a smart TV

>>58833663
Do you even have a choice these days?

>>58833666
Of course, my dad just bought a regular 4k TV a few months ago.

>>58833679
I would like a link, please.

>>58833643
I have no fucking idea
it has been connected to my wlan since the day I got it, felt ebic to have my smart tv with all the features
I absolutely never used them, or maybe streamed a movie...like 3 times in the past >2 years
guess I'll

wait

now that I think about it

I changed the wlan password probably 2 months back
I never changed it on the TV
why am I still getting ads
guess that son of a whore preloaded a bunch of ads

>>58833553
No. Its a super cheap one. I dont get any channels over the air anyways so its just used for my 360.

>>58833684
I don't know the model but the brand is Proscan

>>58833694
>buy a TV
>have to deal with ads when using it
What the fuck?

>>58833706
>What the fuck?
just goes to show what fuckers work at samsung

>>58833553
Does it connect to the internet for any reason?

If so, then yes, it's spying on you. And it will continue until it's made illegal.

>>58833772
spying actually is illegal in probably every country in the world
what they do is "better your viewing experience :^^^^^)"

>buying smart TVs
>letting companies spy on you so you can watch Netflix without buying a $5 HDMI cable

>>58833914
>his solution to avoid companies spying on you is to have a company spy on you

>>58833786
It's probably part of the EULA though, so you agreed to it by turning on your TV.

>>58833994
>by turning on this TV you agree that we reserve full legal rights to rape and torture your family
Yeah that's totally how it works

>>58834011
It is actually, if you agree to the EULA, which you probably did when you first turned the TV on.

>>58834058
EULAs aren't immune to laws.
>which you probably did when you first turned the TV on.
I never have and never will own a smart TV.

>>58834079
Neither have I.

I'm not defending Smart TVs, I think anyone who buys one (especially if they connect it to the Internet) deserve what they're getting, but the EULA is going to over most of the spying they do. The problem with Vizio is probably that they didn't define their EULA properly.

>>58833994
Agreeing to something illegal is still illegal

>The $2.2 million payment by VIZIO includes a payment of $1.5 million to the FTC and $1 million to the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, with $300,000 of that amount suspended.

Why are customers not being compensated? The fuck nigga

>>58834123
>expecting customers to get compensated
>expecting them to get more than a few bucks if they did

>>58834106
It's not spying if they are told about it, so it isn't illegal.

>>58834166
>it's not rape if you yell surprise

>>58834177
It's rape if you resist.

It isn't rape if you agree to it and then decide afterward that you didn't want it.

Except in most western countries.

>>58833666
Yes. They're still sold everywhere. I use a TV as my monitor.

>>58834177
If they did not clearly define the data they would be gathering in the EULA and what they would do with the data, and/or they subverted options to disable that data gathering and transmission then your rape analogy would work.
And that is probably the case in this situation.

>>58833623
Are dumb tvs still being made?

>>58834830
Of course

>>58834835
From big names like Samsung or Sony?

File: SteinsGate-0-Alexis-Leskinen.jpg (54KB, 490x508px) Image search: [Google]

54KB, 490x508px

>Old 32 inches LCD Bravia
>Panasonic CRT
I think I'm good.
I don't think they want to spy on me playing F-Zero or NioH anyway.

>>58834915
>not a Panasonic plasma TV and a Sony CRT
Ya dun goofed

meanwhile cable companies are legally doing this every day

>>58834938
I actually want a Sony CRT but you don't usually find those laying around.
>Plasma
Never had one of these, is it really that good ? Also I don't know if they made small screens, 40 inches is way too much for me.

File: IMG_1427.jpg (40KB, 564x447px) Image search: [Google]

40KB, 564x447px

>>58834915
Same here. Got a CRT for /vr/, a single big TV for when I have the guys over, and monitors for everything else. What even is the point of having botnet in your fucking TV?

>>58835002
Plasma's got much better blacks, more comparable to CRTs. I just did a quick check and it looks like they did make 32" plasma TVs but I'm only seeing HD ones

>>58835002
I got my Trinitron from my high school back in '09, it was collecting dust so the tech guy just let me toss it in the back of my car and take it home.

File: received_10209810258524653.jpg (89KB, 666x1184px) Image search: [Google]

89KB, 666x1184px

>>58835033
Yeah that's the problem, 720p was the norm when plasma was still around.
>>58835035
Got an old iMac from my uni this year.
I might go check the lab and ask them for CRT.

>>58835072
What's there to do with an iMac in 2017? Not harshing on you, genuinely curious.

>>58834830
>>58834858
Just don't plug in the ethernet cable

>>58835082
It was free and looked nice so I took it.
But I don't really use it.

>>58834191
I feel your pain. The entire rapist industry has been forced to move to China where we can just say the victim initially agreed and be done with it.

>>58835082
I use mine for watching movies and web browsing in bed, been meaning to get some emulators on it too

>>58835097
>>58835124
not him but could you play the Sims on it?
That would make myself from 2000 feel so fucking cozy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFgqtt3CIZA

>>58835143
Yeah, Sims 1 and 2

>>58835033
>LG 48" plasma with less than 500 hours
I'm sitting pretty, it still looks amazing. And it's a dumb TV.

Some /g/anon/ needs to make a list of TVs that don't complain or nag when you refuse to connect them to the internets.

And when is Vizio kill?

>watching tv
>2017

>>58837417
>pointless greentext

>>58833553
What's most interesting about this what data is being collected:
>Through the ACR software, Vizio's televisions transmit information about what a consumer is watching on a second-by-second basis. Defendants’ ACR software captures information about a selection of pixels on the screen and sends that data to Vizio servers, where it is uniquely matched to a database of publicly available television, movie, and commercial content. Defendants collect viewing data from cable or broadband service providers, set-top boxes, external streaming devices, DVD players, and over-the-air broadcasts. Defendants have stated that the ACR software captures up to 100 billion data points each day from more than 10 million VIZIO televisions. Defendants store this data indefinitely.
>Defendants’ ACR software also periodically collects other information about the television, including IP address, wired and wireless MAC addresses, WiFi signal strength, nearby WiFi access points, and other items.
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/02/vizio-smart-tvs-tracked-viewers-around-the-clock-without-consent/
Determining what millions of people are watching in real time using software like Microsoft's PhotoDNA is insane. Their claim of 100 billion data points 10 million smart TVs per day means all of this data collection would have to be happening on average 7 times per minute from those 10 million smart TVs assuming those TVs were all on 24/7, or about 1.2 million times per second across all of those TVs. If this is actually possible then what else is?

>>58833623
And you didnt return the tv
This is the future you chose.

>tfw still using old Panasonic plasma tv
feels (and looks) good

>>58839036
This is why big brother fears are real now.

In the old days spying on people took a lot of resources. To the point even the government couldn't spy everyone all the time. And it required people who could defect undermining the spy network.

But thanks to technology one person can spy on thousands with a program that triggers an alert under preset conditions, so really the person spying only has to monitor the program here and there.

If they processed this data raw it would be insane. But there are tricks that dramatically reduce the number of cross checks making this surprisingly easy for anyone who can afford to rent a nice sever farm.

Like how the game 20 questions works, you don't have to ask a billion questions, you just ask very carefully planned critical question to find the answer in few steps.
Most of these data cross checks do the same thing. Becuse it skips so many steps it is not 100% accurate, but if it gets 99% a trillion times faster people will be happy with it.

If you want privacy, you can't be using video viewing technology produced within the past ten years. It's the only way to be safe.

Why would you even connect your TV to the internet?
The preloaded "smart" features are always abysmally slow and if you want netflix or other streaming shit, you can buy a $30 fire stick and it'll be much more reliable.

Is it getting to the point where you have to remove the WLAN card from your tv to avoid the botnet?

>>58839797
If only it was that easy.
Many put it on the same circuit. So not only do you have to unsolder the WLAN card, but you need to solder on some resistors and capacitors so it can still work, but they don't provide full circuit diagrams to help. Still most electrical engineers with some basic tools and a weekend could figure it out, assuming it doesn't have remote authentication codes in which case you'll also need a decent amount of software and code knowledge as well.

>so any average person can just disconnect from the bot-net if they feel lie it. After all no one is forcing you.

>>58839781
>you can't be using video viewing technology produced within the past ten years
Or you could just not hook up anything that's not running a FOSS OS and software up to the internet. Closed source drivers and firmware should still be safe if your only worry is corporations datamining you.

>>58839914
Can I simply not connect my tv to the internet?
I would never buy a new TV today, last I checked they don't even have composite ports.

File: 1484632973607.jpg (15KB, 350x350px) Image search: [Google]

15KB, 350x350px

>>58833553
Knew my feeling to never buy Vizio was always right
Shit so cheap always has a catch

>>58833553
>smart TV

Why would anyone buy such a useless thing?

>>58840008
Because they don't make dumb tvs anymore.

>>58835085
>Just don't plug in the ethernet cable

Works for now.

Until "internet of things" is up and running, then there is no escape.

>>58833553
I literally never watch TV.

>>58840027
>Until "internet of things" is up and running
>I don't know what IoT means
Fuck off LARPer.

>>58833553
No, it has no network connection, nor will it ever get one.

>>58839036
There's a Wikipedia page on automatic content recognition if you want to read more about this.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_content_recognition

File: s9a2K.jpg (35KB, 300x360px) Image search: [Google]

35KB, 300x360px

>Company uses a patented technology without a license either intentionally or unintentionally
>Costs hundreds of millions to potentially billions in fines

>Company intentionally and unlawfully spies on its customers
>2.2 M

>>58839964
Yes, in a way. I'm not that guy but I assume that the WLAN card in the TV will still be sensing all WiFi connections, including your smartphone, and relaying that information back to headquarters.

So they will literally know when you are not home and when you come back- ominous!

>>58840053
IoT means devices can connect to the internet without having to rely on your home WiFi or any other personal network.

Of course it's going to be used to spy on you.

>>58840308
No, it doesn't. Now fuck off LARPer.

>>58840327
I don't mind that you don't know what the internet of things is.

But please stop your retarded name-calling in the future.

>>58840308
>IoT means devices can connect to the internet without having to rely on your home WiFi or any other personal network.
No it doesn't.
It just means devices that connect to the Internet.

They need to connect to the Internet somehow and I don't see all devices shipping with 3G/4G etc connectivity because those also need their own connection plans.

>>58833553
can my TV tell when I'm watching the Cholo Pepe?
Does it report me to the authorities?

>>58840447
>They need to connect to the Internet somehow

https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/

>WOW
>magic....

>>58840509
That's just a mesh network built on top of IoT, it isn't IoT itself, you have to actively join it.

>>58840509
is this satire? I can't tell any more

>>58840545
Every device can freely connect to it and exchange data free of charge.
That is the whole idea of the IoT.

>>58833994
You can NOT sign away your rights. EVER. Regardless of what you are told, the law doesn't work that way.

>>58840612
Arbitration agreements literally waive your right to sue by doing a bit of legal wrangling that stipulates:
>you will agree to hold [company] indemnable for any purpose
>you will agree to defend [company] if you're legally entangled with them for any purpose
>any grievances must go through their legal department (aka arbitration) where they hold all the keys

It's standard EULA boilerplate.

File: 1452059741402.jpg (5KB, 200x200px) Image search: [Google]

5KB, 200x200px

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
unlawful , hahahahahahahahahahahaha
pls stop , you sined the contract when you bought it stupid.

File: 1480582296992.png (78KB, 493x381px) Image search: [Google]

78KB, 493x381px

>>58841011
yea yea which is why they're paying out 2.2 million dollars
why do you post trash?

>>58841082
it's a corporate slap on the wrist and they're going to keep doing it the "legal" way

>>58840939
What is private?
As far as I am aware the TVs didn't have cameras or microphones they were taking data from. IP and MAC addresses uniquely identify the TV but don't identify you. Wifi network names are public, Google drives around collecting them.
Knowing what you watch? Youtube and Netflix know what you watch. Facebook probably does as well, every single page that integrates their scripts, etc
Taking data from your screen? Microsoft takes screenshots for diagnostics if you select Full Diagnostic Telemetry.

>>58840597
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_of_things
Check your definitions.
The whole idea of IoT is that devices become accessible via the Internet, it doesn't matter how they end up connecting to it.

>>58841384
Meant to quote >>58840612 instead of >>58840939

>>58833553
>owning a TV
alright grandpa

>>58841691
How else do you watch content on a 60" screen?

>>58843932
>content
Content sucks. Stop consuming content.

>>58844474
So you watch literally nothing? In the decades that television and movies have been a thing there hasn't been a single thing you enjoy?

>>58844474
>>58841691
>LOOK AT ME, I'M A RETARD!

>>58839036
>>58833553
What the fuck man, does this mean Vizio owners get a payment? I bet this whole tracking trend just evolves to a "legit"program you opt out of in a menu. Anyway if I wanted a smart TV I could connect my laptop,pi 3, or build an htpc to connect.

i have two vizios

wheres my check

File: It's a Rock Fact.png (127KB, 594x324px) Image search: [Google]

127KB, 594x324px

>>58835033
Just sold my neighbor a 42" 720p AKAI plasma for $40. Fucker worked really well as a space heater during winter.

>>58833553
Nope got that shit locked down

>>58845145
Damn I wish I was your neighbor

Why does my TV need to be on the network anyways? One of the devices plugged in to it is sure to be able to play netflix/whatever other streaming thing I'd use and if I were into home automation I can use an IR blaster or control the TV over hdmi to hook it up to rest of home automation.

>>58845240
Onboard speakers didn't work (stepdad blew them out), took 30min to warm up and the aforementioned heat issue. I probably could have gotten more but my area is currently gluttoned with people selling off TVs from XMas upgrading.

File: cast.jpg (150KB, 640x480px) Image search: [Google]

150KB, 640x480px

>>58844511
>>58844573
>content
Content's a word for stuff that's churned out by inters paid by low-creativity Jews who decide what has the biggest market appeal based on testing and previews and survey. It's for the lowest common denominator people.

There are plenty of actual shows and movies, why waste your time with vapid content?

why didn't they just write this in their EULA, pretty much every other company spies on you

>>58845533
I know I use the term autism quite often on this site but I sincerely mean it when I say that you are by far the most autistic individual to have ever cursed this planet with his presence.

>>58845277
I bought my plasma screen when they were on their way out, for like $400 which I thought was a good deal. It's still absolutely beautiful and I color calibrated it.

But yeah it generates a LOT of heat and really sucks down the juice. I never leave it on, and my wife and I watch one 1/2 hour show a day, maximum, plus maybe 1-2 movies a month. It will last for many more years. I'm tempted to find a low-hour nicer Toshiba from the earlier days of plasma technology, for some reason (good QC because they were expensive as fuck?) Toshiba plasma screens seem to last forever.

File: 54.jpg (105KB, 952x536px) Image search: [Google]

105KB, 952x536px

>>58845567
You know I'm right though.

>>58833553
>connecting a TV to the internet

It's your fault if they're tracking you, retard

>>58833553
if this isn't fake news to drive vizio out from the market i don't know. every smart tv will do this nowadays

>>58845598
You're not. I was just talking about TV shows and movies and then you started having a little hissy over semantics

>>58833553
>too poor for a TV due to spending all my money on Apple products

checkmate

>>58845583
can you actually color calibrate a tv screen without turning all the picture enhancing algorythms off?

>>58840939
doesn't mean these hold up in court, you can't waive your rights in any of those

just because they say that and that no one has challenged them doesn't magically mean they can do it

>>58845689
My screen allows you to turn that crap off.

>>58845681
>I was just talking about TV shows and movies
Me too, you have to distinguish the ones which have merit from the content though. Content has no merit, yet people consume it. Probably because of a lack of proper hobbies.

what non-botnet TV is there with 4k?

>>58833586
Why would you buy a CRT when people give those away for free?

>>58846108
>Me too, you have to distinguish the ones which have merit from the content though
Not when it's this fucking irrelevant to the conversation.

>people bitching about smart TVs
>Completely ignore the smartphone likely loaded with Google or Apple aids.

>>58847156
>implying I use Android or iOS

>>58833643
> be me
> buy smart tv
> hook up pc
> browser + netflix boots up faster than tvs netflix app
> generally better experience
> gf insist on having tv connected so she can use netflix app on tv
> give up
I'm pondering opening it up and disconnecting the mic

>>58833553
No because I never fell for the "smart tv" meme.

>>58840013
Yes they do, I bought one two months ago.

> Accidentally know over my dump Sharp Aquos tv
> Know I will have to buy a smart tv meme because nobody makes dumb tvs anymore
Should I go second hand and buy a cheapo 50' dumb TV?

>>58847375
... why does your TV have a mic?

>>58834191
>It's rape if you resist.
What if I spike your drink, drag you home, fuck your unconscious body then leave you on some random corner? Is that still rape?

>>58847375
It's annoying having to navigate the menus with keyboard and mouse instead of just using the TV remote

>>58833553
> sell data for 10mil $
> pay 2.2 mil $ fine

LOL

>>58833623
I have a "smart" Samsung TV but never seen any ads on it. Fuck it does not do jackshit until I open the "smart hub" on it.
So I don't know.

Maybe it's a "half-smart" TV?

>>58839988
Samsung and LG do it too.

If you buy a smart TV, you are already falling into the trap.

Either buy a non-smart TV, or just grab a nice enough monitor that does not offer features.

>>58833623
I have a curved smart tv from samsung and never does this kind of shit, even if it's connected to the internet (because I like using projecting my screen on it). Unplug the ethernet cable, and if it's always connecting using wi-fi to your router fucking block that shit from your router's settings.

> 2017
> Not going full Stallman and building your own HTPC using FOSS and not letting your proprietary TV do anything remotely "smart"

>having a tv

but why

>>58850142
To watch TV shows and movies on something bigger than your monitor and/or in a different room? Are you really this fucking retarded?

>>58850152
>watching TV
>watching movies

but why

I don't own a TV anymore. When I did own a TV, it was a 26" Philips Magnavox.

>>58850193
0/10

>>58846219
4k is a meme, even with 20/20 visioin you have to sit closer than 1/2 the screen diagonal to see a difference between 1080 and 4K. Do the math yourself sometime and see.

HD is a meme if you sit further away than 2x the screen diagonal too.

>>58846562
I'm just saying don't use a faggot word like 'content.'

Reminder that LG does the same since 2013
>>http://doctorbeet.blogspot.com.uy/2013/11/lg-smart-tvs-logging-usb-filenames-and.html