# Not in Front of the TV



## Dave (Feb 9, 2015)

I think this is the best place for this thread. Has anyone noticed this News story today:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-31296188

Someone on Twitter this morning compared the warnings in the instruction manual for the Samsung to a page from George Orwell's _1984_. The similarity was extraordinary. Just another item from that book that is now true.

Edit: Okay, I see everyone is making a connection now:
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/02/09/samsung-smart-tv-privacy-1984_n_6642934.html?1423471251


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## mosaix (Feb 9, 2015)

I'm considering a Samsung TV at the moment and have been reading the Consumers Association (Which?) reports on the thing. Apparently it shares viewing preferences and all sorts of info with Samsung, but I didn't realise about the voice commands. Fortunately the feature can be turned off - and it will be.


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## Brian G Turner (Feb 9, 2015)

It reminds me of previous reports of the Xbox Kinect ...


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## Vladd67 (Feb 9, 2015)

mosaix said:


> I'm considering a Samsung TV at the moment and have been reading the Consumers Association (Which?) reports on the thing. Apparently it shares viewing preferences and all sorts of info with Samsung, but I didn't realise about the voice commands. Fortunately the feature can be turned off - and it will be.


They say it can be turned off, but can it?


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## TheDustyZebra (Feb 9, 2015)

There was also a story yesterday on the news about the possibilities of hacking new vehicles; it will be (or is already) possible to take total control of a vehicle and make it stop, unlock the doors, and so on. Someone said something about "hacking into my car, my refrigerator...."

If you have to worry about your refrigerator being hacked, you have too much money. Do not hook your refrigerator up to the internet. Problem solved.

Not so much for the car and the TV, though. Those are becoming largely unavoidable.


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## Dave (Feb 9, 2015)

TheDustyZebra said:


> If you have to worry about your refrigerator being hacked, you have too much money. Do not hook your refrigerator up to the internet. Problem solved.


But it will order from the supermarket and restock itself with beer. Every man must have one!


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## thaddeus6th (Feb 9, 2015)

Brian, I thought the exact same thing. 

It's vaguely monstrous the way some technology is going. A few nights ago the BBC had a report in which the journalist extolled the virtues of people being chipped for a business. It's bloody creepy, and increasingly intrusive.


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## ratsy (Feb 9, 2015)

TDZ, then how will I communicate with my cheese when I'm at work?


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## TheDustyZebra (Feb 9, 2015)

ratsy said:


> TDZ, then how will I communicate with my cheese when I'm at work?



What, you already gave away the telegraph?


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## Ursa major (Feb 9, 2015)

I have a Samsung, but have never used (or, to the best of my knowledge, switched on) the voice control. God knows what they'll make of my attempts to bring dialogue to life**.


** - 'Cause that's what they'll hear, nothing else, honest....


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## HanaBi (Mar 28, 2015)

Welcome to the Internet of Things!

Be afraid....be very afraid....


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## Ray McCarthy (Mar 28, 2015)

mosaix said:


> Fortunately the feature can be turned off - and it will be.


no, it just stops responding. Hacker can still listen and voice can still be recorded. Destroy the microphone. OR Never connect a TV to Internet. Use a netbook / laptop / phone with HDMI cable.
Before this there are multiple vulnerabilities.
Forget the Internet of things, they'll never get the security right. You'll open the fridge and find it full of cockroaches.


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## Ursa major (Mar 28, 2015)

Ray McCarthy said:


> ...and find it full of cockroaches.


Not if the Clean Reader has anything to do with it.... 
​


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## Ray McCarthy (Mar 28, 2015)

Chest Milk instead of Breast Milk for baby?
Can't find the wonderful IOT fridge cartoon
"You been pwnd" is note inside empty fridge


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## REBerg (Dec 4, 2017)

This seemed like the best spot for this humorous essay -- or maybe it's more of a warning? 

Here Comes the Home of the Future, by W. Bruce Cameron


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## Foxbat (Dec 5, 2017)

REBerg said:


> This seemed like the best spot for this humorous essay -- or maybe it's more of a warning?
> 
> Here Comes the Home of the Future, by W. Bruce Cameron


The part about the cat requesting lobster in the essay  reminded me of this story
Push Paws: “Game For Cats” iPad App Makers Stop Kitties From Buying Add-Ons


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