Korean company responded quickly and after a brief internal investigation acknowledged that TVs with Smart TV actually collected information “concerning user watched by television channels, the source and use of Smart TV platform.” Why? LG explains that the aim is to recommending TV content to users based on the information about what you are watching. Also when the data collection function was switched. At the same time the company said that the data is not stored anywhere, and the fault is removed by the introduction of software updates.
LG extinguished the fire so, however, remained unanswered. We do not know whether such practices do not apply other TV manufacturers, nor what they are doing with our data. And what of Polish clients LG? Model, by which the scandal broke, it was indeed available on the Polish market, but does that mean that we can feel safe? talk about these concerns with Tomasz Chmielewski, TV expert and editor-in-chief of the magazine “TV Test “and tvtest.pl website.Mariusz Piotrowski: When you exit revealed that LG would write the data about its users without their knowledge and consent, I began to wonder how smart TV function on the TV interferes with my privacy. And if such equipment is not a threat to us?
Tomasz Chmielewski: Everything depends on the definition of security, because for many people, the mere thought of it that using Skype the hacker will be able to preview our lives, it is simply not acceptable. Many people use advanced features such as smart voice search in Polish – they also have the option LG TV. I have no doubt, however, that given in this way the data is stored somewhere – information from the TV sent over the Internet as in the case of the computer. This data is rather never die, just stay on the server and you need to be aware of.
surprised your affair with TVs LG– Well, yes and no. The surprise is that the company decided to collect this information in such and not otherwise. This could be done differently, after all, for example, in exchange for consent to data processing to give him access to some superaplikacji inaccessible in normal mode. TV manufacturers want to know as much about their customers.
Although most applications provide external companies, it is by connecting to the network producers have a tremendous temptation to check not only what we see, but most of all, how we use their products, such as what and how often you change the TV menu. I used to get this type of information, you had to hire a research firm that huge expense of doing market research. Today, these data can have a first-hand, free of charge, and that hundreds of thousands, if not millions of users. probably because LG is not the only– As a tester TVs often come across the terms of use of smart services. Due to lack of time I do not read all the contracts that I have to accept, but as most TVs try to make it even browse. Often there is a consensus to download or processing our data. For example, I once tested model Sony TV asked for permission to transfer statistics from the use of the TV. I did not express consent, but I’m not sure if my data was not collected.
Does this mean that we do not know what is happening with our data– I do not know, but we can guess. Sam sometimes see when the TV is in standby mode, the router operates at high speed. Only then it turns out that the TV itself has downloaded a new version of the software. It is also theoretically possible so that by the way sent to the control panel some data.
The fact that it is real, is also confirmed by the legal protection used by TV manufacturers. The latest models of Samsung, to take advantage of the smart, you have a positive answer 4-5 questions that appear on the screen. They concern precisely the issues of privacy and consent to the transfer of data. situation so slowly civilized, but it is rather paltry consolation …– Yes, because even in the last year in most models of such requirements is simply not there. The question remains whether you really read all the rules and agreements that displays on the TV screen. And even if we agree to these terms, I think we should get a copy of the contract to be able to email or print it. Unfortunately, in the case of smart features that are not there. Not only that, if the agreement is in the TV’s memory, this theory can be freely changed without our knowledge and we will be difficult to prove it. Unfortunately, the law does not regulate the end of these issues, because the technology is developing much faster than the law.
Are there any other risks associated with the use of modern television? Can someone, for example, take control of it, or send us a virus, for example, through television Skype application– A few months ago the company iSEC specialists have discovered a vulnerability in the software company’s TVs Samsung allows you to take control of the camera installed in them or gain access to a user account on Facebook. About this vulnerability notified Samsung, which, as emphasized above mentioned. specialists, showed high willingness to cooperate in its removal, which eventually took place in the middle of this year.
As for the virus, it is theoretically possible after entering a specially crafted Web page. Fortunately, websites containing malicious code prepared under a specific model of the TV is not much, and also built-in TV web browser to its limited functionality deterrence to surf the Internet.
– This What can we do to sleep well?– With TV Internet features you just have to use wisely. The first example is from the shore banking applications have recently appeared in some TVs. In their case, I would recommend extreme caution. Just because your computer can easily check whether data encryption is enabled, what the TV is sometimes even impossible. You must also watch out for TV browsers that allow you to enter but either way, it does not warn us, like Firefox, that are redirected.
– But surely before surveillance can not escape – manufacturers will increasingly come into our privacy in order to be able to better adapt to our programs or advertising content.– It’s already happening. Samsung has an S-Recommendation, which based on our preferences established on the basis of the movies you watched or used application system suggests content that may interest us. Of course, this special algorithm is needed constantly examining our behavior patterns. This means that in order to better understand our preferences and provide better recommendations, television has long letter to “follow”.
So the risk of real loss is not really a big– Let us not, however, go crazy – even if many people use Gmail, which is under surveillance on a much larger scale. After all, our mail and attachments – and these are often very confidential data – are scanned for contextual advertising. For televisions risk of detriment to privacy is exaggerated in my opinion, but that does not mean that it is perfect.
In my opinion, a much bigger problem may be, for example access to controversial applications, such as pornography, which are increasingly appear in smart TVs. It is true that parents who do not want their children watched such content, may protect such applications slogan, but search the web service code that will unlock the TV, it is a matter of a few or several minutes. 
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