Should we care that Samsung Smart TVs are 'listening' to us? - news discussion

Anyone that has an issue with this is sad beyond measure, This will mean improvements that are simply not possible by normal means. That would be like worrying amazon tv maps what you watch and recommends shows you may like, Why on earth would you mind?
To be fair it Should have an opt out setting upon first using it like most browsers ect have now.
(unless it has? If so whats the issue?)

Not that I use it, Have had this feature since launch and not seen a need to move from a press of the remote buttons, Hardly taxing :laugh:
 
This is the same as all that nonsense you keep seeing when Sony Android TV was announced, "oh no! Another way for Google to mine data!". Would love to know what exactly do these people do that's so important they need to keep it 100% private?

People need to get things in perspective and maybe head outside, too much time indoors reading data conspiracy theroies!
 
How about when it's being used to search the net in the browser?

Some of the comments on here are stupid beyond measure and display ignorance and disrespect. Surely the companies involved are capable of evaluating the process by themselves.

It's going down the whole 'why worry if you have nothing to hide' attitude.

1. Because people deserve the right to privacy.
2. To prevent the potential misuse of personal information.

Two obvious reasons for a start.
 
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This:

It's going down the whole 'why worry if you have nothing to hide' attitude.

1. Because people deserve the right to privacy.
2. To prevent the potential misuse of personal information.

It's the disregard of the above that is dangerous. Yes this is just a TV, and the data is probably rubbish, but you sign up to it and it sets a precedent for a future where better technology may do much, much more, including saving it up to sell on to who knows what or why. Imagine where voice pattern analysis, combined with your searches on say "cars" and "gambling" could reveal you are someone emotionally unstable and ripe for targeted, persuasive advertising.

Don't forget, once you sign it, it is very difficult to go back.

Also, some US users are reporting the Plex app on Samsung TVs (only) is now adding adverts into your viewing, which is creepy / very annoying - Plex stops half way through and plays a pepsi ad : PleX
 
Well thats settled my dilemma, I like the Samsung TV's but was stuck between a Samsung and Sony TV. If they are going to start pulling adverts on streaming stuff then its bye bye Samsung.
 
My mobile acts on "Ok google", so exactly how much is my mobile listening in on now?
 
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How about when it's being used to search the net in the browser?

Some of the comments on here are stupid beyond measure and display ignorance and disrespect. Surely the companies involved are capable of evaluating the process by themselves.

It's going down the whole 'why worry if you have nothing to hide' attitude.

1. Because people deserve the right to privacy.
2. To prevent the potential misuse of personal information.

Two obvious reasons for a start.
If you want privacy, don't use the internet. Since the commercialisation of the web, nobody was ever promised privacy or anonyminity by the corporations running it.
 
I'm wondering if this may be a Gerald Ratner event for Samsung Smart TV.
My Uncle upgraded his Panasonic 55" plasma to a curved screen Samsung ( I consider downgraded but nevermind ) last year.
Until today when he watched BBC News item he never even realised his tv could do this. He was worried about the Rory Cellan-Jones report but what really baked his cakes was the quick BBC headlines round-up before Eastenders.
In this snippet the presenter stated Samsung have said if you have one of these televisions and are worried - be careful what you say.
Humour, yes of course.
My uncle has asked me to call around and switch off this function and says if he knew it did that he would have kept his plasma.
I can imagine lots of older ( and some younger ! ) people telling their tv retailer* they don't want one of those tellys that listen to their conversations and report them to Big Brother.
*Just not buy online.
 
As someone who doesn't use the voice feature on his h6400, how do I make sure it's off and never listening?
 
If you want privacy, don't use the internet. Since the commercialisation of the web, nobody was ever promised privacy or anonyminity by the corporations running it.
So because your isp can monitor your internet activity you are to surrender that information to companies that produce whatever hardware you access it on too?

Ridiculous statement.
 
I really do not see the issue here, Just do not use it if you are worried.

Mountain and Molehill come to mind.

I am far far more worried about the huge amount of tracking cookies mining my data while online, Than someone hearing me say "Game Of Thrones" at my TV o_O
 
"As someone who doesn't use the voice feature on his h6400, how do I make sure it's off and never listening?"
I can't use it on my LG as long as I don't agree to the T&C's for this particular part. May be the same with your set.
 
"As someone who doesn't use the voice feature on his h6400, how do I make sure it's off and never listening?"
I can't use it on my LG as long as I don't agree to the T&C's for this particular part. May be the same with your set.

The solution is to physically block sensors you don't wish to utilise - never rely on software menus/controls.
 
I recently took my daughter trampolining in a sports centre, i tried to take a video while she was the only one on the trampoline with nobody else in shot and was told i couldn't video it.

However it's ok for a tv to record and transmit our personal conversations to an undisclosed 3rd party and if we question this, we're the sad ones? :rolleyes:

Maybe i've been watching the tv show "person of interest" too much recently, but i do worry how much of our privacy is being invaded without our knowledge. I always assumed speech recognition on devices would be an on-chip solution built into the tv/tablet/mobile phone. But it appears that this information is sent to "the cloud" for processing.

It always amazes me when people churn out the line, "if you haven't got anything to hide then what's the problem" . You may not be a drug dealer discussing your next big shipment but just look at how local councils spied on people about trivial things like bin collections etc. Who is to say what is something to hide when it's the listener who decides this. By that i mean an innocent conversation on your sofa could be misconstrued if you don't know the context behind it.

Anyways i'm not saying we should all don tinfoil hats but to dismiss this as perfectly acceptable when we don't know the full facts or implications is worrying.

I'd like to know how much these smart tvs are really listening to and transmitting, and who exactly are this 3rd party samsung won't reveal?

Hopefully it's just typical sensationalist journalism and the tv is only transmitting basic keyword information. But i do think we should be more worried about these things than we currently are.
 
The solution is to physically block sensors you don't wish to utilise - never rely on software menus/controls.

I've turned off audio control in the menu and the remote is the only way of using it I think... From the images the mic is in the smart remote so I might just unplug the batteries..! Only useful feature was the sport mode being a one button on/off rather than going through the menu anyway!
 
Perhaps Samsung should've made it clear that this data was going to be possibly recorded to allow customers the choice of providing info or not. To do it without asking for this permission is taking liberties to say the least.
As for people's comments about the Internet, may I remind them that legislation was passed whereby our permission is needed for cookies to be used.
 
If Samsung are listening, perhaps we should encourage everyone that owns one to chant "stop making bendy TVs".
 
The way that some are so readily willing to accept unnacountable eavesdropping in peoples homes and trust that it won't be misused is quite beyond me.

Even if it was never misused it's the principle at stake of being afforded privacy in your own home. Totally off limits to any kind of listening in as far as I'm concerned.
 
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@Only777 "However it's ok for a tv to record and transmit our personal conversations to an undisclosed 3rd party and if we question this, we're the sad ones?"

Where in this story did it say it's recording our personal conversations? It is purely stating that (this is the important bit) when you press the listen button (another example is Google's Android feature, "Okay Google...") that is actually records anything, once it finishes listening it stops recording and processes what you said. What is wrong with sending that recording off to a third party? If you want the service to get better how can it do it if they cannot analyse it? Do you worry when you phone a company and it states the call will be used for training and quality purposes?

The TVs etc are not always listening, it's just when you ask it to... I suppose you could always ask the TV to listen and then have a conversation - but then you're weird and do you think the people analysing it would care? They would just ignore it and move on to the next recording to help them do their job.

I am very in to privacy but as soon as you use your web browsers, do you think the broadband provider, the search engine, the sites you're visiting or hackers care about your privacy? They're recording everything... At least Samsung is making you fully aware of what is happening and is perfectly justified, don't like it, don't use the feature.

My big problem is using Android, how many times do you install an App and take notice of the permissions it requires - it's scary, but at least if you don't like it you can decide not to install it I suppose.
 
@Only777 "However it's ok for a tv to record and transmit our personal conversations to an undisclosed 3rd party and if we question this, we're the sad ones?"

Where in this story did it say it's recording our personal conversations? It is purely stating that (this is the important bit) when you press the listen button (another example is Google's Android feature, "Okay Google...") that is actually records anything, once it finishes listening it stops recording and processes what you said. What is wrong with sending that recording off to a third party? If you want the service to get better how can it do it if they cannot analyse it? Do you worry when you phone a company and it states the call will be used for training and quality purposes?

The TVs etc are not always listening, it's just when you ask it to... I suppose you could always ask the TV to listen and then have a conversation - but then you're weird and do you think the people analysing it would care? They would just ignore it and move on to the next recording to help them do their job.

For me you draw the line at companies being able to hear what you say in your own home and that includes Google, Microsoft or anyone else. Just because other companies do it doesn't make it alright.

In my opinion and I'm sure that of many others there is a difference between analysing data and listening to us. It becomes too personal when they can hear us.

The companies could evaluate the effectiveness of the function themselves. It's not the case that they can't do so without customer feedback.

And there are countless examples of abuse of personal/sensitive information or people taking liberties with monitoring equipment - cctv operators perving on women for example. I don't accept that the information gathered could never be misused or end up in the wrong hands.

And as Only777 said, who is to say what is acceptable use of the information in the first place? The anonymous people collecting it? If it's being passed on to other companies for targeted advertising for example then its open season and the info becomes very unsecured.
 
For me you draw the line at companies being able to hear what you say in your own home and that includes Google, Microsoft or anyone else. Just because other companies do it doesn't make it alright.

In my opinion and I'm sure that of many others there is a difference between analysing data and listening to us. It becomes too personal when they can hear us.

The companies could evaluate the effectiveness of the function themselves. It's not the case that they can't do so without customer feedback.

And there are countless examples of abuse of personal/sensitive information or people taking liberties with monitoring equipment - cctv operators perving on women for example. I don't accept that the information gathered could never be misused or end up in the wrong hands.

And as Only777 said, who is to say what is acceptable use of the information in the first place? The anonymous people collecting it? If it's being passed on to other companies for targeted advertising for example then its open season and the info becomes very unsecured.
But the whole point Samsung are saying is that the system will only listen when you ask it to... they're not listening all the time to personal conversations - I don't see the issue... you don't have to use the function!
If you care that your line "turn sound to 10" or "Channel 4" is analysed then you really need to come back down to reality or tech will never move forward.

I used to have a problem with loyalty cards as they are monitoring what you're spending money on... but after getting vouchers etc based on what I actually buy - I'm actually quite happy with them.

People need to get smart and understand and investigate the truth, not hearing a media's spin on it. It seems Samsung have shot themselves in the foot when all they were trying to do is educate people on the truth, but people love a story.

I'm guessing none of the people complaining here use Facebook or you really are a contradiction.
 
Do Facebook listen to us at home? No.

I have already clearly stated that it's being able to hear us at home that crosses the line and that's regardless of the fact that it 'only' happens when you press a button, that is inconsequential. And it can be used for searching the net too which you seem to be wilfully refusing to acknowledge. The average Joe public isn't even going to be aware of what's happening and could be giving away passwords or other types of personal info.

I don't need to come back down to reality thank you very much so please quit the mud slinging and stick to the debate at hand or it will just descend into a mindless slagging match which I assume you are above.
 
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