[Electronics-Talk] The TV watches us more than we watch it! (fwd)

[Jude DaShiell]

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---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2019 00:25:21
From: Warren Carr <warcarr at gmail.com>
Reply-To: antad at googlegroups.com
To: antad at googlegroups.com
Subject: The TV watches us more than we watch it!

I know that we all know that some of these device pry on our privacy and
this does not come as a surprise, but boy, is this mind-boggling!



Here's the clip:



Quote:



More Evidence Smart TVs & STBs Watch You More Than You Watch Them

Android Headlines / John Anon



It might not come as much of a surprise that a smart TV product shares user
data. However, how prevalent the sharing is and the sharing conditions might
surprise you.

Researchers recently looked at the user data sharing by a number of IoT
devices, including smart TV products.

The results indicated smart TVs and set-top boxes are some of the most
prolific. While Amazon and
<https://www.androidheadlines.com/category/google-news> Google appeared to
be the companies most often contacted by devices, the study found data is
also shared with companies a user has no direct involvement with.


Is your smart TV sending your data?


The study was conducted by researchers at Northeastern University in the
U.S. and Imperial College London in the UK. The full paper can be viewed
<https://moniotrlab.ccis.neu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ren-imc19.pdf>
here.

The study focused on eighty-one devices in total. That's IoT devices in
total. In terms of TV products, the list included smart TVs by Samsung and
LG, along with a variety of smart set-top boxes. The STBs came in the form
of Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku OS devices.

The results pointed to smart TVs and STBs as some of the most prolific in
terms of reporting back. This was particularly true in terms of third-party
services. For example, on third-party contact, the study found the TV
category (sets and boxes) made "the largest number" of contacts across "all
device categories." The researchers pointed to TV content (and ad)
customization as a possible reason.

The study also found the use of VPNs had no real effect on the results.
Basically, it did not change the number of contacts made, just who and where
a device contacts.


Netflix watches you, even when you don't watch Netflix


What might be more concerning was Netflix. The researchers explained that
almost every device in the TV category contacted Netflix. That might not
initially seem surprising considering the number of Netflix users and
devices that come with Netflix preinstalled. However, an active Netflix
subscription was not in use during testing.

In other words, the researchers discovered TV devices are sharing data with
Netflix, irrespective of whether the user has a Netflix account set up, let
alone enabled. Again, as Netflix is so readily available on devices, this
will affect the majority of devices within the TV category.

Netflix is not the only app or service that does not need to be in use to
send user data. For example, the bulk of the tests conducted on TV devices
consisted of menu browsing, voice commands and/or adjusting the volume. It
was mainly these actions that the level of contact was based on.

A positive noted in the study was the elevated use of encryption in general.
This is good from a user point of view as it should mean less prying eyes.
However, that's not quite what's being discussed here as the companies
contacted were technically, invited eyes.

To put this point into perspective, the higher levels of encryption did stop
the researchers from properly understanding what information was being
shared. It did not stop the actual information from being shared.


What about Android TV?


You may have noticed  <https://www.androidheadlines.com/category/news/tv>
Android TV was conspicuously missing from the testing. For whatever reason,
it was. However, that's not to assume Android TV is any safer in this
respect. After all, Android TV is Google, and Google was one of the
companies data was most often shared with. Along with Amazon, Netflix, and
Microsoft.

What's more, Google has never been shy on making
<https://www.androidheadlines.com/2018/11/google-report-cord-cutting-tv-ad-r
evenue.html> direct Android TV appeals to operators, device-makers and
advertisers. Therefore, you can probably assume an Android TV device would
generate similar results to those found in the study. This seems to be
especially true when it comes to services like Netflix considering almost
every device with Netflix installed, contacted Netflix.

Again, that's regardless of whether the user is a Netflix subscriber or uses
the app.

The post
<https://www.androidheadlines.com/2019/09/smart-tv-fire-tv-roku-tv-android-t
v-privacy-data.html> More Evidence Smart TVs & STBs Watch You More Than You
Watch Them appeared first on  <https://www.androidheadlines.com/> Android
Headlines.


<https://www.androidheadlines.com/2019/09/smart-tv-fire-tv-roku-tv-android-t
v-privacy-data.html> Visit website

 <http://appyet_base/COMMENT_APPYET> View comments







End of clip.



Warren



As both an "Android Evangelist and Enthusiast,"

I beg you in the name of Google, to quit spreading false information among
blind people that says Android is Not Accessible!

Ask, and you will be enlightened!

Help empower the disabled, but don't compartmentalize them!



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