Kim Komando: Stop Your TV From Spying On You

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Mfame Editor
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Credit: david-svihovec-unsplash

A recent news article published in the Tulsa World states that Kim Komando: Your TV is spying on you, but you can stop it.

Private information is worth big bucks

Back in the day, a big flat-screen TV was a total luxury item. Now, TVs come with a host of bells, whistles and smart features, and you can buy top-of-the-line models for a fraction of the price.

Why are TVs so cheap? You have to think about tracking on your TV just like on a computer or phone. It’s all about the data.

You already know your private information is worth big bucks. One way to stop greedy data brokers is by removing yourself from their people search sites.

Think about all your TV knows about you and your family. That data makes up for the low price of new televisions. Over time, this data farming recoups more money than they ever made on those sets.

Digital world without it being tracked

It’s hard to do much in the digital world without it being tracked, monitored, or monetized in some way. Some people work hard to find ways around that, opting to pay for extra privacy or use alternatives focused on users, not data mining. Others throw up their hands, saying this is the price we pay for free and cheap services and devices we rely on to run our lives.

But there’s a lot you can do to take back your privacy if you’re willing to dive into your device’s settings:

Adjust your privacy settings to limit what data your device sends back to the manufacturer.

Disable voice control. This may stop your TV from analyzing conversations to listen for the wake word or commands.

Avoid free apps and channels. A mix of ads and data collection generally supports these.

Many smart TVs come equipped with cameras most people don’t realize are there. There’s not much you can do short of voiding the device’s warranty and removing it yourself. You could cover it up, but who wants electrical tape on their television screen?

To limit other forms of data collection on your LG smart TV, go to settings, all settings, scroll down to General, About This TV, User Agreements, toggle Personalized Advertising to Off.

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Source: Tulsa World