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Ask Slashdot: Should I Allow A 'Smart TV' To Connect To The Internet?
Slashdot reader GovCheese has a question:
I use Roku and also the client apps on my gaming consoles for Amazon and Netflix. But it seems less prudent to allow my television, a Samsung, to connect to the internet. My Phillips Blu-ray wants to connect also. But I'd rather not. Is it illogical to allow Roku and a console to connect to streaming services but prevent a "smart" television from doing so?
Slashdot reader gurps_npc argues there's a distinction between devices that need internet access and devices that want it, adding "Smart TVs overcharge in privacy invasion for the minimal advantages they offer."
Leave your own best answers in the comments. Should you let a smart TV connect to the internet?
Slashdot reader gurps_npc argues there's a distinction between devices that need internet access and devices that want it, adding "Smart TVs overcharge in privacy invasion for the minimal advantages they offer."
Leave your own best answers in the comments. Should you let a smart TV connect to the internet?
Pretty much the only reason I let my "smart" TV connect to the Internet is for firmware updates. Don't think I've had one in a while though now so assuming they've stopped being developed I may disconnect it soon.
The Blu-Ray player needs to connect to the internet for updates to be able to play the latest discs.
That's a good argument for not having a Blu-Ray player, and for using your game console as your player. Frankly, Blu-Ray's hype far exceeds its delivery. Having compared DVD and Blu-Ray side by side, Blu-Ray's improvements are merely marginal at the best of times, and completely insignificant the rest of the time.
My LG is hardwired. I use its DLNA features but I also block it by MAC from sending any traffic out of the local RFC1918. This obviously isn't going to work if you use the TV's streaming features but for locally hosted content it's ideal.
As for firmware updates, Samsung's recent brick debacle where it took a technician physically opening the case to get them back pretty much answers that question. The general rule for stuff held in programmable ROM is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." I understand many will want KRACK fixes for WiFi as soon as they're available, yet I also wouldn't be holding my breath thinking this is a priority for vendors; they have your money, you're on your own. However, if there's a flaw in the monetisation of your viewing habits they'll be jamming those bytes down your digital throat before you can blink.
Resistance is futile. Reactance buggers it up.
However with the holes in the firmware that you can find today it might be a good idea to put your entertainment system on a separate subnet at home compared to the other devices - and only open that net when you really need.
Segmentation of networks is a good security measure these days.
If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
Does connecting your TV to the internet brings you something?
- Yes : connect it
- No : don't
It's that simple.
And the fact that you connect a device to the internet (because it is useful for you to do so) doesn't mean you have to connect everything. It is not all or nothing. From a security/privacy perspective you want to keep your attack surface as small as possible, but it doesn't mean you need to completely wall yourself in unless you have more to hide than normal people.
Do you know your device?
Do not let anything connect to the Internet if you don't know why it should.
Rich And Stupid is not so bad as Working For Rich And Stupid.
I wonder if Chinese TVs will have less of that (owing to state controls) -- if true, I might become interested in Chinese TVs.
ROFL! Chinese TVs with LESS monitoring because of their government? Funniest comment on the intertubez!
Home of The Suki Series
Came here to say the same thing. Create a separate, isolated network for your TVs. Avoid ones with cameras and microphones. Job done.
const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
Botnets.
Have gnu, will travel.
I run the pihole software on an early raspberry pi.
This allowed me to watch dns activity. With what I saw, which was the tv constantly accessing certain addresses, I blocked those addresses with the blacklist feature of the pihole.
This allows me to use things like netflix, etc while keeping the data collection to a minimum. This allows me to get updates to the tv's firmware while terminating the tracking and spying on my daily activity.
The pihole can be used for a lot of other reasons too.
You can lead a man with reason but you can't make him think.