LG Smart TV Caught Collecting Data On Files Stored On Connected USB Drives

Agit8dChop
reply to post by Aloysius the Gaul

 

what I find funny is ATS does the same thing.
I can go to ATS and look at the banners around the actual site, they are quite clearly related to things I search the internet for.

yes yes its a third party advertising firm and all that jazz...

what I dont see the point in, is eveyone pretending like it matters.

Its like complaining that the sky is blue... no matter what, you do its the way of the world.

I rend to agree - but even a grumpy skeptic like finds it all a bit overwhelming when my appliances might be part of it!!

reply to post by Aloysius the Gaul


The real Big Brother danger was always corporate. He's everywhere btw.

reply to post by Agit8dChop


Maybe because it should matter. Just because something is so prevalent around us doesn't automatically make it right. In some things, we actually agreed to and received some direct benefit from such collection of information. Any time we utilize a store grocery savings card, we're basically granting permission for the collection of information about what we buy, regardless of using cash or debit, every time we swipe it in exchange for savings on a variety of products. In that kind of set up, we're agreeing to the collection of data about our purchasing histories in exchange for a store discount. It's an overt contract of a sort when we actively fill out the little application form that agrees to the "membership".

However, I do not recall a single time where I went to search something on Google that asked me if I was okay about the collection of data of all my search activities by Google, Inc. for their own use, profiteering, or selling it to the government for a tidy sum. There was no express or implicit contract there stating clearly that everything that you or I searched for on the net via Google's search engine would be collected up and sold to Google's immense profit with nothing but potential future personal injury in that exchange. Not only is at an uneven contract but it would fail the "four corners test" of a contract legally according to the Uniform Commercial Code.

In fact, to sit there and state that it's so prevalent that it shouldn't matter is really inane as we have just, as of this year, been privy to the extent that that information is collected and used by a variety of sites. For people like myself, I've been noting significant privacy issues in regards to various social media sites such as Facebook and Google's databases for years now. It hasn't been until Edward Snowden that a larger portion of people actually grew concerned. Before that, I'm pretty sure that people thought I was a little bit nutty and paranoid. It does matter and I sure hope that your search history doesn't ever come back to haunt you.

OneManArmy
I have added an extra few layers to my tin hat too, apparently ELF wave technology is advancing rapidly.

No worries, "ELF waves" aren't something your home equipment could either generate or detect, you're a horrible receiver for them, and they're not focusable on one person. Or even, really, a state. And they can't transfer diddly for info due to Nyquist limits.

However, what is sort of worrisome is if your Hopper or LG are combing through the home server they're attached to and reporting your copied movies back to Momma. I expect that to be happening eventually, and my home gateway will not allow any of my appliances to connect to the net. Sort of prevents me watching the digital on demand stuff from Dish but there you go.

Quite a crazy story that.
I have an LG smart TV, though I use it as a monitor and the TV itself is never connected to the internet.
I'm wondering if mine is the same model.

Sayong that if you have a PC or anything with an operating system there is always ways ''they'' can watch us, not all of us, just the ones that take no care = most of us.

This is a problem (yes, problem) that will only become more and more prevalent as time marches on. I'm sure LG isn't doing it to invade your privacy in a malicious manner, but rather to better identify with it's customer base and perhaps gather information which may be used in targeted ad's.

Of course, that doesn't stop them from potentially handing over those lists to law enforcement when they see "The Avengers Blueray RIP" and other, "more than likely" torrented files. Plus, how do we know it's only scanning video files? It could be indexing a list of all your files, potentially giving away information on when your files were laste edited, the names of the files, file sizes, file types etc.

I have never liked the idea of being "connected". Your alarm clock, connected. Your cell phone, connected. Your refrigerator, connected... Everything is starting to be connected.

Your "smart" clock (with weather updates, RSS feeds etc.) that have become semi-popular with gear heads can potentially phone home giving it's creators an idea of when you get up and what you want to be shown in the morning as well as your current location thanks to the weather. (I'm not talking about radio controlled clocks, but clocks with wifi and a color screen.)

Your "smart" fridge can be phoning home (if wifi enabled) letting people know when you shop and what you shop as some of these fridges have a little built in inventory editor that lets you add what you buy and their expiry dates.

Your phone is "always" watching where you go, who you call, what you're looking on online. As is your computer.

Anything "connected" is probably "phoning home". And it's not with malicious intent. It's for market study and for future devices. But that doesn't stop people like law enforcement and others to inquire about these details should they so feel inclined. And that's what I don't like.

I'm not paranoid, as I use quite a few connected devices and don't really care. But it's becoming accepted that these devices are allowed to "phone home" in favor of having tailored weather, news, and other alerts.

I'm not trying to scare anyone either by saying everything you own is watching you. Because it's probably not the case. I just want to highlight a possibility and for people to demand that it's NOT ok that the producers of various electronics monitor whats going on. It's like the NSA watching everything you do online.

Something else to keep in mind. HDMI can now carry ethernet traffic.

Thinking your non networked "smart tv" isnt going to eventually pass data back through networked set top and computer devices would be a mistake. What data though? Data from the built in cams and mics? The light sensor? I'd say any smart tv out there now has a built in flash disk to buffer information for the next time a network connected device is active. All devices in the chain will have a packet pass-through of some sort probably built in. Maybe it is already built in to the latest HDMI, Powerline & TCP/IP specs. I know the latest R&D on LCD displays is embedding CCD technology either between or within pixels to take a picture between frames "for seemless interactivity and conferencing".

Eventually powerline internet will be standard, whether you subscribe to it or not and the feed back data will be parsed, analyzed and sold to someone, somewhere on every device you can plug in. Basic networking chips are pretty damn cheap now.

We know it's inevitable. So let's give them a show. Let them see what we watch, hear what we hear, read what we read. Eventually they will blow the whistle on themselves or self destruct. Seeing my naked body will make the engineers blind.

Atlantican
We know it's inevitable. So let's give them a show. Let them see what we watch, hear what we hear, read what we read. Eventually they will blow the whistle on themselves or self destruct. Seeing my naked body will make the engineers blind.

edit on 21-11-2013 by Atlantican because: (no reason given)

That probably is the correct answer to this problem- if privacy is dead, we must cease to depend on privacy and instead depend on mutual understanding/respect. I censor myself less and less. I need the people around me to know who I am and know that I'm not dangerous, so nobody can scare them with secrets about me- not that I will tell everyone everything- but it is a goal to be open and honest enough that people know that there is nothing they want/need to know beyond what they already do. That's how you get a world where people can watch you in your home but choose not to. We need to get into the habit of understanding each other without judging, and make it socially safe for people to defy the authorities and be themselves, because if enough people feel comfortable doing it, they can't use violence against us all.

I envision a future where every room in your house must have a camera installed to feedback information on your every move.

It makes me very sad for my sons future in such a strange world.

Atlantican
Something else to keep in mind. HDMI can now carry ethernet traffic.

edit on 21-11-2013 by Atlantican because: (no reason given)

Do you have any links for this? not saying it's not true just genuinely interested.

Agreed this is disturbing, but where are the work arounds to disable this ability should you have purchased one of these devices? If it can be built, it can be hacked/disabled!

oxford
Its become a consumer nightmare, being stalked by hugely aggressive sales techniques, look what marketeers have done to the internet, it has now become horrific, using previous search terms to target you to death.

I've been stalked by a pair of shoes for month now, if this doesn't put us girls off shopping nothing will!

Absolutely 100% complete and utter total hatred for this kind of marketing.

It actually makes me want to buy it from a competitor who doesn't do this just out of principle.

Oh yeah!

I'm currently being stalked by panty girdles and my husbands big gift, hope all the ads don't give away my "secrets"

Yeah, I'm upset!

I have wifi in my recumbent bike, when I called the manufacturer to ask how to turn it off, they said there was no mechanism to turn it off. I even tried putting tin foil over the computer part, didn't work. So I put the bike on my preferred strength and unplugged it. Now I can get on my bike at my present strength and ride away in peace.

Anyone know how to disable the wifi without messing with the rest of the functions?

WhiteAlice
Just remember this bit of advice--if it has "Smart" in the name, then it's probably a dumb idea to buy it. That's the trend that I'm noticing. Take it for what you will.

I think those are excellent words to live by my friend. I do not have any smart electronic devices in my home for this prticular reason. While this is the first time I have officially heard about TV's collecting data I am in no way surprised. That's the saddest part imo.

OneManArmy
reply to post by Aloysius the Gaul

 

I think we are being spied upon in many more ways than we know right now.
I personally think that "targeted advertising" is a cover for something much more sinister.
I also think we are in a transitional stage of full spectrum surveillance. We are being slowly but surely acclimatised to acceptance of it. Hence why I have covered the cameras on both my laptop and "smart" phone.
I have added an extra few layers to my tin hat too, apparently ELF wave technology is advancing rapidly.

When everyone walks around with "smart" devices, who needs ID cards?

I've got a Linux (Ubuntu) installed on my home systems, and just about every basic service seems to have been subverted for some purpose. There's a service called (ntp), the network time protocol - it's supposed to let your PC request the current time from a central clock, so that it can handle daylight savings time. But this process always happens when you switch your PC on, so it gives a clue to your daily routine.

Then there is the desktop search engine for applications (Unity Lens). It would send back all your search requests to a centralized server and return links to CD's, DVD's and books, even when you weren't looking for any of these.

I could list other things like various servers that seem to have their own ftp and remote shell built in.
Even the print server seems to allow remote inspection of the print queue.

Caver78
Agreed this is disturbing, but where are the work arounds to disable this ability should you have purchased one of these devices? If it can be built, it can be hacked/disabled!

I dont know about you, but at the very least I recommend "Masking Tape" or "Insulation Tape".
Available at all good hardware stores.

For the more fashion conscious and stylish people, how about a sticker.
At least you can cover the video camera.
Apart from that, dont plug your hard drives into your tv.
I doubt it matters its probably done through windows too.
The only real way to stay "off the grid" is never connect to the internet.

Here's the question we really need to ask ourselves; What are our priorities?


Do we really need a fridge with a television in the door? Do we really need a smart toaster that plays AM/FM radio? Do we really need an oven that connects to the internet? Do we really need an automated dishwasher? In my opinion, meals and preparation should be used as a time for a family to come together without the distractions of the television, radio, internet, etc.

Do we really need smart TV's?

EternalSolace
Here's the question we really need to ask ourselves; What are our priorities?


Do we really need a fridge with a television in the door? Do we really need a smart toaster that plays AM/FM radio? Do we really need an oven that connects to the internet? Do we really need an automated dishwasher? In my opinion, meals and preparation should be used as a time for a family to come together without the distractions of the television, radio, internet, etc.

Do we really need smart TV's?

Need and want are two different things. We don't need a lot of modern day conveniences but we want them because they make life easier. I don't use smart gadgets myself precisely because of the privacy concerns but those that do should be able to without being spied on. Massive data collection is the biggest threat to modern life there is, that's not to say it's all bad but it's being used very irresponsibly.

enemy of the state - its an amazing movie.

Who watches those who watch?

They can decrypt any information passed over the net - by law - govt is supposed to be able to do this. How else can the securities exchange commission know that you aren't an inside trader?

If they are allowed to survey, then they are being given opportunities to plant false evidence. Look at the famous OJ Simpson trial - they alleged so many possibilities for authorities - especially those who didn't follow due process.

It becomes easy to target political dissidents.

I feel that it isn't a question of whether they can do it, but only if they can be trusted not to do it.

Biigs
Ha yeah i read this on the register today.

I really dislike this assumed acceptance with invasion of privacy with metameta.

You mean metadata.

OneManArmy
reply to post by Aloysius the Gaul

 

I think we are being spied upon in many more ways than we know right now.
I personally think that "targeted advertising" is a cover for something much more sinister.
I also think we are in a transitional stage of full spectrum surveillance. We are being slowly but surely acclimatised to acceptance of it. Hence why I have covered the cameras on both my laptop and "smart" phone.
I have added an extra few layers to my tin hat too, apparently ELF wave technology is advancing rapidly.

When everyone walks around with "smart" devices, who needs ID cards?

I tried in vain for years not to get "smart" phone. Unfortunately I succumbed to peer pressure.