I just double checked mine is cut off… it was

Ehhh...yeah, maybe, but I think that the problem is really broader than that.

Petflix, a Roku app documented by The Verge, is a representative case. Its opt-in screen reads: “To enjoy Petflix for free with fewer ads, you are allowing Bright Data to occasionally use your device’s free resources and IP address to download public web data from the internet...

Say you have kids. And your kids have friends over. Are you curating what "free" apps your kids' friends have on their phones that they connect to your WiFi network?

No, they're saying that it's technically possible for an Israeli company to have done this. The article says that an SDK exists, but there is no proof that it's being used in the way they're speculating about. They're Just Asking Questions (TM). But it's possible and mentioning an Israeli company makes certain people paranoid similar to how mentioning Warren Buffet makes certain people paranoid.

It's be relatively simple for security researchers to monitor the traffic from smart TV. But maybe all of the security researchers are working for the Israelis too. Can't prove that they aren't all working for the Israelis. Therefore we should just trust in what is implied by this one article that isn't even showing any network packets from any specific devices.

Just how internet conspiracy theories work. People tend to not question those that are Just Asking Questions so long those implicated in the conspiracy are people they hate.

Might be time for a firewall device to be added to your network.

Depends. This year I bought a smart-crap air purifier. It can only be used connected to the manufacturer's app, connected online.

Except, this smart-crap is powered by an ESP32 system on chip, a very popular development kit amongst DIYers and electronic hobbyists. Some smartass has already created a program to make use off 100% of this air purifier functionalities, connecting only to Home Assistant, completely locally! Unboxed the thing, tear it down, flash the chip, and BOOM ! Turn the smart-crap into a reasonable Home-Automation device. All thanks to the collective efforts of smart, altruistic people.

I am all for people buying all sorts of smart-crap devices if they hack them and share instructions online :D

Correction, they're right ignorant, smart, or very smart.

Ignorant: accepts everything, connects tv to internet.

Smart: Blocks Tv from internet.

Very Smart: removes the WiFi chip from the TV. Stuffs the LAN cable with caulk. Boom, subsidized TV.

Genius: creates their own TV OS for their specific TV and deletes the regular OS.

Yup.

I'm stuck with a smart TV, but it's from Pre-LLM days. I don't use the smart TV app or connect it to the web. I've also got the AI features ("Ad Personalization", etc.) turned off by default, just because it pleases me.

Well, technically, it is smarter than a lot of people think; "smart" ≠ "moral!"

But yeah, definitely just use an HDMI cable. They're harmless that way.

Thanks for reminding me to block my new vizio from the wifi.

they always did shady stuff. the difference is that they are losing international public support so it's safer to publish that stuff

Past few? They literally started as a bunch of whiners gaslighting other countries for compensations and pity and playing victim.

Cheating with a save state just out of frame, doesn't count.

even without shady stuff. it's just common sense. disconnect the 'computer' from the 'display' so you don't need to replace both when the 'computer' becomes obsolete--and it will, usually, before the 'display' quits working. don't connect it. if you want 'smart tv' functionality, get a cheaper and easier-to-replace streaming device of your choice instead.

beware of models or brands you have to go online with just to 'set up'. more and more are 'requiring' internet access and/or an 'account' just to turn on and use as a 'dumb' display.