Smart TVs are getting smarter. And maybe too smart for our own good.
Originally, smart televisions had the ability to display Internet websites because you could switch to a crude built-in browser. Now they can make recommendations of what you might like to watch, and can even understand voice commands.
But, there is potentially a dark side to this technology. A look at Samsung’s privacy policy supplement for smart televisions contains some unexpected surprises.
*MOUSE PRINT:
Samsung may collect and your device may capture voice commands and associated texts so that we can provide you with Voice Recognition features and evaluate and improve the features. 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 through your use of Voice Recognition. [color emphasis added]
So if you enable voice commands, what you say is captured and is sent to a processing company on the Internet. Be sure not to discuss how you plan to cheat the IRS or commit murder when the TV is on, lest your plans become evidence that could be subpoenaed.
And if you’re watching some steamy pay-per-view movies, Samsung may be tracking your viewing based on what functions you have enabled on the TV.
*MOUSE PRINT:
…if you enable the collection of information about video streams viewed on your SmartTV, we may collect that information and additional information about the network, channels, and programs that you view through the SmartTV.
This data collection is supposedly only used to provide you with a better viewing experience, but who knows what really happens to all that data. And if you opt into “SyncPlus,” advertisers are told what you are watching so they can target ads and offers specifically to you.
So this is the future of television… the big screen that you’re watching is also watching (and listening) to you.
After last week’s brouhaha, Samsung clarified its Smart TV policy, saying:
If you enable Voice Recognition, you can interact with your Smart TV using your voice. To provide you the Voice Recognition feature, some interactive voice commands may be transmitted (along with information about your device, including device identifiers) to a third-party service provider (currently, Nuance Communications, Inc.) that converts your interactive voice commands to text and to the extent necessary to provide the Voice Recognition features to you. In addition, Samsung may collect and your device may capture voice commands and associated texts so that we can provide you with Voice Recognition features and evaluate and improve the features. Samsung will collect your interactive voice commands only when you make a specific search request to the Smart TV by clicking the activation button either on the remote control or on your screen and speaking into the microphone on the remote control.
Is that an improvement?
And now Samsung Smart TV owners are complaining that the company is inserting advertisements in the consumer’s own content or content they paid for.
I don’t think smart TV will make my viewing experience more enjoyable, and I don’t get the infatuation with voice commands for such simple things.
I can press buttons on a remote faster than a TV can listen and understand what I am saying. Also, nobody knows what content I want to see better than I do. Don’t need the TV to tell me what I like to watch.
Samsung did clarify this somewhat a week ago:
In addition, Samsung may collect and your device may capture voice commands and associated texts so that we can provide you with Voice Recognition features and evaluate and improve the features. Samsung will collect your interactive voice commands only when you make a specific search request to the Smart TV by clicking the activation button either on the remote control or on your screen and speaking into the microphone on the remote control.
I don’t have a problem with collecting voice information when supposedly speaking a command (for instance, having to start the process by saying “Hey TV!” and ending when the command is recognized or the TV gives up trying to figure out what you just said). But ad-hoc listening is scary.
“In Russia, TV watches you.” Yakov Smirnoff. It will be a cond day in Hell before I buy a smart TV.
I have the George Orwell model….I watch it and it watches me.
I do not understand what the big deal is. Nowadays everyone has their smartphone with all these different apps, facebook, instagram, snapchat , google +and hod know how many more that track their every move 24/7/365 so now the tv is lidtening too. Pretty soon the police will find acway to listen in to you on your tv or get a warrant to have your tv tell them what you are doing.if you have a smartphone or smart tv then you have basically given up any privacy at all.
I will stick with my old flip phone, no need for any online presence. I have searched for myself on google and come up blank. So if your stupid enough to,use all this stuff than you deserve what you get. got a supermarket card, a cvs, walgreens, or anyother card in order to save money well the stores know every item you have bought. Go,to CVS and buy those extra sensual special condoms but think no one knows guess again. Maybe you will get a reviept and coupons printed out for zky jelly and your name may be on receipt so if you toss it out and someone finds it they will know you bought condoms.
Big brother really is watching and your letting him so dtop whining about it.