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Some do this (Samsung), but the more common tactic is to throw constant nags up if the telemetry is not being sent to the manufacturer.

I did my research and bought one that does not do this (2025 TCL), but, if it turned out that it did, I'd have shamelessly returned it. I'd also have issued a chargeback if the store gave me any crap.

Even with all that, if you install firmware updates over the network, then disconnect WiFi, the TV becomes unusable until you factory reset it. (I did this because its EDID is corrupted, and I have to override it with a linux cmdline. The update did not help.)

by matltc12 hours ago|

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Agree that it should be observed before assumed. Would a software-defined radio and a packet capturing mechanism be sufficient?

by OroPla14 hours ago|

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With TV makers having recently destroyed trust and there not being a good way for consumers to force trust it makes little difference whether they are doing it or not.

If you can't tell whether your disconnected TV is spying on you but you know that you cannot trust it, it's better to treat it as compromised.

by smallpipe14 hours ago|

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Amazon Sidewalk is a real life product that offers this over bluetooth

by nvme0n1p114 hours ago|

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Just because something exists as a product, doesn't mean it exists inside your TV.

by alserio14 hours ago|

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probably, but I'll let gp answer. But I want guarantees that they don't do that, until them I'll consider the fact that if they can and it's profitable they will do it

by nvme0n1p114 hours ago|

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If you want a guarantee, that's a conservative threat model and a fair position. What's not fair is GP saying "doesn't work, all the TVs do XYZ", when not a single TV in the real world has ever actually done XYZ.

by alserio14 hours ago|

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Ultimately I'll need to find data to settle how paranoid I might be. I'm still leaning on not enough. But isn't it also not fair to claim not a single tv has done it? Proving an universal is not easy for gp but the inverse of forall is not a not exists. And I know the world of middle management profit optimization.

by nvme0n1p113 hours ago|

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I indeed cannot prove it. I also can't universally prove that wombats don't have telekinesis. But the preponderance of the evidence points to neither being true.

I know there are lots of advocacy groups and youtube channels that are testing TV models and would LOVE to be the first to break this story and publicly shame Samsung or whoever. But it simply hasn't happened.