Vizio TVs Spy on You: How to Stop It

[George Tyndall]

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/government-confirms-vizio-tvs-spy-152300028.html

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/vizio-pays-2-2-million-211951156.html

[Chuck Engels]

Be smart and don't by a Visio TV when LG and Samsung are so much better

[George Tyndall]

Be smart and don't by a Visio TV when LG and Samsung are so much better

Re Samsung:

--Our 52-inch and our 46-inch models both failed to start just after the 1-year warranty expired. The repairman stated that ours is a common problem having to do with "cheap capacitors." As a result, we no longer turn either of them off.

--They are also spying

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/samsung-smart-tv-spying/

https://www.wired.com/2017/02/smart-tv-spying-vizio-settlement/

Re LG:

--I don't see any recent articles about LG spying. Although the following article is a bit dated. It does discuss the trade-offs of the Internet of Things.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-keep-your-smart-tv-from-spying-on-you/

--We've had zero problems with any of our LG products (Batteries, Bluetooth headsets, Blu-ray players for PCs, Refrigerator, Smartphones), some of which we've had for at least five years.

[Chuck Engels]

We have a lot of Samsung products and no problems with any of them. Talk about spying, do you know all of the info your cell phone can give up these days? When a new app is installed it wants access to everything, that data is going somewhere. Visio did get their hands slapped but you've got to know that all of that info from our TVs and phones is out there and being used by someone. I guess it's a matter of how much privacy we want versus how much convenience and information we want - instantly. The instantly part is important because most anything is available if we are willing to wait for it

[George Tyndall]

Talk about spying, do you know all of the info your cell phone can give up these days?

The latest issue of Consumer Reports discusses that very topic, including how to minimize access. The only app that I have given extensive permissions to is Norton Mobile.

BTW, an even bigger threat appears to be the Internet of Things, which will allow users to have their every move, inside and outside their homes, monitored.

Also, my dealer has confirmed that, beginning with the 2014 model year, all automobiles sold in the US have some sort of "black box" that allows extensive monitoring of the vehicles' movements. He says it's only a matter of time before those who violate any motor vehicle laws--illegal U turn, late registration, speeding, etc.--will receive their fines over the internet without ever having been stopped by an officer.

There is also a plan to transform the US into a cashless society in which all transactions will be handled digitally--and monitored for compliance with various laws.

Last but not least, if ever the US health system becomes single-payer--i.e., all bills will be paid by the federal government--that will be the end of privacy with regard to one's medical record. According to critics of single-payer, once a governmental entity has such control, those with illnesses that require expensive treatments can say goodbye to the First Amendment.