Honestly guys, I genuinely thank you all for your responses.
Think you're being a bit paranoid.
What do you think is going to happen?
You're right, I
am paranoid, but with good reason. One of my concerns is hacking. Just because I have nothing to hide does not mean I am happy for another to take my personal information, no matter what they do or do not decide to do with it.
I presume you still have an old Nokia candybar phone and don't use a smartphone either?
I don't but that is not the purpose of this thread. I'm just trying to do the best I can with what I have available to me.
If you are that worried, don't put personal data into it ... ?
I don't
put personal data into it willingly, my concern is that the mic could take what is being said in my home = names, addresses, card numbers etc and also the file list of my hdd/home network etc. There's so much that new tech can get access to without you even realising.
You need a dumb TV then. The big boys of Sony and Samsung etc make the smarts part of the sales pitch. What TV do you have? It may or may not have a mic but that does not mean it is on either. Both the examples I have encountered have a physical mic button on the remote to press and activate.
But if you are worried about connecting to WiFi I would suggest you get a more secure WiFi router/change your password etc. What level of encryption are you using? How old is it? Do some background reading on encrypting your internet connection. If you can turn off your WiFi (which it sounds as though you can), then you can change the password to something to your liking.
You're 100% right I need a dumb TV. Show me a dumb TV with a good picture and I will buy it. AFAIK you can't Kuro TVs went out of production a LONG time ago. I don't mind buying second hand but what happens when it breaks? No parts are being made so I am back to square one.
Just because a button on the remote tells you that the mic is active does not mean that the mic is otherwise disconnected. I have programmed enough to know that just because a dialog box says something does not mean that the hardware is doing something else.
The wifi points are of a different concern to this thread.
Don’t sign into google or create a google account only for purpose of downloading apps
I have done this.
Weird. Android has got nothing to do with it, unless you have some quasi-religious affiliation to fruit. In which case you could plug in one of their streaming products. All connected smart(things) will potentially track your usage.
Apart from that, don't enter a Gmail account, or as has been stated, create one specifically for the TV. Or, just don't connect it to the interweb.
It looks like not connecting it to the Internet is the best option
I just thought that this question has popped up before and people know of some apps to block or IP ports to block via the router or something lol.
Again, thanks all for your replies
My life is boring really, and I would rather not have any more drama apart from what is actually shown on the screen, and I'd like to not feature in it!