In an increasingly security-focused time, one of the most common methods of entertainment might have been made into a surveillance tool for corporations, states, or even unknown third parties.
The BBC recently reported on exactly that, and tested smart TVs as an eavesdropping method. However, is this really something that most people should worry about?
In a Word, Yes
A lot of features that have been added to TVs in recent years also make them vulnerable to misuse by hackers of all stripes. As streaming services have become more popular, internet connectivity has become a relatively basic feature of TVs and anything connected to the internet could, in theory, be hacked.
What makes this more worrying, however, are other features. As early as 2013, some TVs had integrated cameras to allow people to make Skype calls through them, literally opening up your living room to anyone who could hack in. With so many types of device by our televisions and the ability for them to become faulty, it could get damaged or the circuits could overload so why not contact a Electrical Contractors Cardiff company to check your setup is safe.
With all the different types of wiring and plugs needed for these devices lots of people end up using extension cables which can get to hot and cause damage to your electronics so using a specialist is always advised and one option is Evergreen Electrical and Building Services.
More recently, it is becoming common for TVs to respond to voice commands, meaning there is the potential for a TV to always be listening, or even recording any sounds or conversation happening around it.
What Can You do About it?
No need to put a sheet over your TV just yet, we have some very easy steps you can take to ensure that your privacy remains intact.
If you don’t use any internet or voice services through your TV, disable them. If you don’t stream to your TV, you aren’t going to lose anything by not connecting it to the internet, and this removes all risk. If it isn’t connected, it can’t be accessed. If you want the internet connectivity, you should still be able to disable voice and camera features in your TV’s settings.
If you want to keep all the functionality of your TV, make sure you keep it’s software up to date. Your TV should have an option to automatically update, and you should let it. If it doesn’t, you can manually check for updates, which you should do regularly.
Someone could spy on you through your TV, but it isn’t very likely, especially if you follow some of the listed steps, but if you still have concerns, contact an expert in your area.