With the ability to download our favorite apps and play the latest movies and TV shows from streaming services like Netflix and Disney+, smart TVs have become the center of entertainment in our homes.
But all this connectivity surrounding our TVs is allowing big companies to spy on us and collect more of our data than they ever could before.
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Can a smart TV record you?
Yes, a smart TV can record you. Many smart TVs have mics and cameras built-in so you can control them using voice commands and hand gestures.
Your TV manufacturer can then collect these digital files, use them to learn about your viewing habits, and sell the information to third-party advertisers and content providers.
TV producers like Samsung and streaming service providers like Netflix and Amazon Prime also collect data about everything you watch through a technology called ‘Automatic Content Recognition (ACR).
They use ACR to collect data about what you watch, when you watch it, what platform you watch it on, what device you watch it on, what you like and don’t like, and even what blu-rays and DVDs you watch.
Some monitored Vizio and Samsung TVs have been shown to make tens of thousands of requests per day to send data back to their manufacturers in China and Korea!
Microphones and cameras can also be taken over remotely by hackers who can then listen to your conversations and record you through your camera.
Samsung has even written it into their privacy policy that their smart TVs might be listening to what you say and maybe sending that data to Samsung and a third-party company whose job it is to transcribe it.
And Vizio, one of the largest makers of smart TVs, is having to pay over 2 million dollars to settle allegations that it recorded the viewing habits from millions of devices without the consent or even knowledge of viewers.
The data was then passed on to unnamed third parties and used to measure and track audiences.
What’s worse is that security specialists discovered that when transferring personal data Vizio TVs failed to properly validate HTTPS certificates, making it easy for anyone who might want to intercept the data.
How Can My Smart TV Record Me?
Smart TVs use automatic content recognition (ACR) technology to gather data about your watching habits, which is then sent back to the manufacturer and shared with their business partners.
You can turn off the ACR in the settings of TVs and streaming services but some data sharing and collection is unavoidable when your TV is connected to the internet.
In addition to viewing data, your smart TV may be able to capture and share audiovisual recordings.
If your smart TV has a camera and microphone, then it can make recordings of you.
Related Article: Can a TV Get a Virus from a USB? (And What To Do)
How Do I Know If My Smart TV Has The Capability To Record Me?
You should see a built-in camera, if your smart TV has one and if you give your TV voice commands, then it also has a microphone.
Your TV may also be collecting location and other types of data.
You should be able to discover all of the data recording capabilities it has in the documentation.
The manual for your smart TV should tell you whether your device has a camera and microphone, how to turn these on and off, how to deny consent, and how to troubleshoot problems.
You may also find useful information and advice online by searching for the brand and model number of your TV.
Why Do Smart TVs Record People?
Advanced features on your smart TV may rely on voice or facial recognition, gesture control, or video chat, requiring some recording and storage of data to function.
If you wish to play certain games or communicate with family and friends, for example, you may need camera recording to be enabled.
Smart TV companies may use consumer viewing and audiovisual data for marketing, as well as to inform research and development of their products and improve user experience.
These same companies may also, however, sell your data to advertisers and other third parties.
To protect the privacy of your data, check the settings on your smart TV carefully and be careful about which boxes you tick when signing user agreements.
Why Do Smart TVs Collect So Much Tracking Data?
Many of the most popular smart TV makers — live Samsung and Sony — collect loads of information about your viewing habits.
They mainly do this to help advertisers and media provide better target ads at you and to better understand your viewing habits so they can suggest what you should watch next to keep you on their platform.
The more these companies can keep you engaged with their content the more ads you’ll look at and the more likely you will be to renew your subscription.
How Can I Stop My Smart TV From Recording Me?
You may not be able to stop your TV from collecting information 100%, but if you want to ensure that your TV’s manufacturer or any third parties cannot get the hands-on that data, you need to keep your TV disconnected from the internet at all times.
But you probably won’t need to go that far.
Begin by checking the permissions and privacy settings and ensure you have deactivated camera capability and video sharing on your device.
If you are unsure how to do this, check the manual for your device and seek advice online by searching for your brand and model number.
And if your TV has a built-in camera that you’re not sure how to deactivate, you could always cover the lens with a bit of tape so that even if activated, the camera won’t be able to record you.
How Can I Stop My Smart TV From Collecting Data And Sending It To Third Parties?
Your smart TV collects your viewing data through a technology called automatic content recognition (ACR) and attempts to identify everything you watch —including movies and shows you get through cable, streaming services, and even the DVDs you play.
This data is then sent to the TV manufacturer and potentially shared with or sold to their business partners, too.
The first thing you should do is carefully go through your smart TV’s terms and privacy settings to see if you have consented to the collecting of your data.
If you can’t locate the settings, it may be best to do a factory reset on your TV.
Then, when setting up your TV again, they will have to get your permission to begin collecting data, which you can deny.
For example, many Samsung smart TVs will ask you for consent to track what you view when first setting the TV up – so take your time and be sure to deny consent.
If you don’t want to reset your Samsung TV and don’t remember if you consented, go into the Terms & Policy menu and disable SyncPlus & Marketing.
Most modern smart Sony TVs use Android TV software.
That means you are subject to Google’s data collection policies.
However, Sony may still record your data through voice recognition, so you may want to opt-out of this in the settings.
For other TV models, go through the terms and privacy settings with a fine-tooth comb and look for where you can remove consent to have your data collected.
As a last resort, you could ring up your TV’s manufacturer and have them guide you through the process.
You can also use software like pi-hole (a network-wide ad blocker) to block your smart TV from sending data back to its manufacturer’s servers.
Can Someone Else Watch And Record Me Through My Smart TV?
Hackers can potentially log into your wi-fi network and hack your smart TV, including using its camera to view and record you and anyone else in your home.
Cybercriminals could use recordings to carry out a range of crimes including facilitating burglary of your home when the camera shows it to be empty, blackmailing you with compromising images recorded through your camera, or stalking and threatening you using information captured through your device.
How Can I Protect My Smart TV’S Camera And Microphone From Being Hacked?
To keep your smart TV and other devices safe from cybercriminals:
Familiarize yourself with your smart TV device and network settings.
You should know how to disable and enable camera access and be able to spot any unexpected changes.
Ensure your smart TV and network passwords are secure. They should be neither easy to guess (e.g. “PASSWORD”) nor default device passwords (e.g. “00000”).
Use two-factor authentication in apps contained on your TV whenever possible.
Promptly install security patches and other software updates from your smart TV manufacturer.
These may close security loopholes that hackers could otherwise exploit.
Final Thoughts
According to consumer research, 80% of U.S. households own at least one TV that connects to the internet.
By 2022, forecasting predicts that the number of smart TV users in the USA alone will grow to 119 million.
With this increased prevalence comes increased concern about the ability of smart TVs and other home devices to collect personal data and even to record their user’s private conversations.
Your smart TV can watch and record you, so stay in control by educating yourself about how to keep your device operating safely and make sure your data remains in your own hands.
