this post was submitted on 09 Jul 2026
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Privacy
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Just don't connect them to the internet, then it doesn't matter.
People connect them to the internet to use YouTube or something, and then just forget that it is still online. This is for those people who are unaware. And a smart TV can still be hacked while disconnected from Wi-Fi, that is obviously harder to do.
If those people are unaware, then make them aware. Telling them to disable telemtry instead of taking them offline completely is simply bad advice.
Turning off those features still help. That is why I posted, so some are aware... People have smart TV's to use the internet. That is kind of the whole point of having them. Most people just don't disconnect their TV from the Wi-Fi every time they are done streaming. Which, that would be a GOOD IDEA idea.
People have them because there is no other option. I would love to see a TV version of GrapheneOS with no BS come out some day.
No, because the smart TV just stores the data it wants to send and sends it as soon as it is online again.
If this is true, that is diabolical.
Why wouldn't it be true? This is how every logging system works.
That was a blind spot for me. You are right.
You're making them aware of the wrong things, as I just finished saying.
They can still use the internet without connecting their TV to it. You just plug another device into it.
I know what a TV does, smart TV's enables more features when it is online. SOME people just have a smart TV and that is it.
No they don't.
Yes they do! People for sure just have smart TV's, and they have tons of apps when connected online. Load up Netflix and then they are done. Old people do it all the time. That is all they use. That and probably just a phone. Shit, some still have landlines.
Are my comments just invisible to you? Plug in another device and use it to load up Netflix.
I don't understand what any of that has to do with anything? This has nothing to do with "the way I think". If they don't have one, they can get one, just like they can change their privacy settings?
Not all people just plug in a device for things like Netflix. They just use a TV to consume content. And you brought up the devices. That is all I was saying in our conversation.
I know they don't. Not all people adjust their privacy settings to limit surveillance either. That's the entire point. That's the problem.
The reality is that most people can’t be bothered or do not have the resources to set up another device to stream content and just use their TV as a projection device. OP is sharing this for those people who still want to use the smart features on their TV but at the same time get back some of their privacy. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. OP is saying not everyone is like you who would choose to disconnect your TV completely and stream from your laptop instead.
He still doesn't understand, apparently, we are talking clearly and he isn't getting it. It is like trying to talk to a flat earther or some shit.
Holy shit, dude. This post was for the people that didn't know that data was being sent back, and how to help reduce it. That is the whole point! Not everybody is going to keep their smart TV offline forever.
You just keep talking while ignoring what I'm saying so I guess we're done here.
You are clearly ignoring everything I just said. Even another person explained it and you are still oblivious.
There was some sort of scandal a few years back that some smart TVs (Samsung?) were using not just open networks (let's be honest, there usually aren't any), but other smart TVs if the same manufacturer to be able to send their telemetry. I don't know what game of that, or if that was ever made illegal (probably not).
Source? Keep hearing people say this but no one ever provides a source. Think its just a tail at this point.
Hasnt there been claims of the smart tv's automatically connecting to open WiFi to update and or send data.
I don't think this is real, but if it is can you provide a link? I'm not finding anything easily with a search and randomly throwing out claims like this is not productive.
That's why I called it a claim, I never found evidence myself, it just wouldn't surprise me if it was true.
So you're just spreading misinformation.
I never stated it as fact, nor was it my attempt to have it come across as one. Just a rumor people have claimed.
I could have been more clear in that in hindsight.
There's claims about this, connecting automatically to open wifi is a "feature" of Android, any smart bullshit based on android can have the same behaviour.
1 person posting on reddit isn't enough for me to believe they didn't simply misunderstand what happened. There are a lot of tech-illiterate people out there and if this was a thing I'm pretty sure we'd see people reproducing the results and posting procedures to do so.
Yeah I also don't think this hold much water, even if the TV automatically connect to the wi-fi, turn the wi-fi feature on/off automatically seems unlikely.
Often needed with software updates for the TV itself.
What features does a smart TV provide when not connected to the internet? (serious question, I've never had a smart TV)
Most let you use the HDMI ports and antenna. Only some like Roku models block everything.
I'll tell you what my 2 "smart" tvs do as they are not connected to the internet, they act as a slow to turn on display of my desktop. 27" monitor press power button, less than 10 seconds looking at desktop, 40" samsung smart tv 15-20+ seconds to see the desktop without a stupid overlay, 65" samsung 4k smart tv 30-45 seconds till desktop is fully visible.
TL:DR NONE! Use as a monitor
None? The idea is not to get more features, it's to take it offline so it can't send data about you back home. Plug in another smart device into the TV and use that for streaming and such.
Dumb tvs are still sold in some places. If it's impossible to get a dumb TV and have a pc, at that point it makes more sense to get a simple monitor and use the pc as the smart device so you actually have full control. The android boxes you connect to tvs are not the epitome of privacy either.
This is true. Almost every streaming box sells your data out of the box. Roku is one of the worst. Nvidia Shield is pretty bad too.
"Dumb TVs" are extremely rare. You can buy most TVs and just not connect them to the internet and achieve the same thing.
This feels like such a waste but if there really aren't any dumb tvs around anymore, oh well
They tend to be cheaper or have more features. The income from data harvesting subsidizes the price.
Plus, in a lot of places you can't get dumb TVs without them being commercial displays, which have different priorities. Businesses don't really care about having 60hz, HDR, OLED, or low latency. Sometimes they don't even care about having 4K resolution.
Probably none, but it's getting harder to buy a non-smart TV
I still got a 720p TV, LOL!