Attention: Smart TV Owners -The FBI Has Some Warnings For You

Maybe you should have held on to your box TV after all.

But like anything that connects to the internet, it opens up smart TVs to security vulnerabilities and hackers. Not only that, many smart TVs come with a camera and a microphone. But as is the case with most other internet-connected devices, manufacturers often don’t put security as a priority.

That’s the key takeaway from the FBI’s Portland field office, which just ahead of some of the biggest shopping days of the year posted a warning on its website about the risks that smart TVs pose.

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The FBI warned that hackers can take control of your unsecured smart TV and in worst cases, take control of the camera and microphone to watch and listen in.

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In fact, some of the biggest exploits targeting smart TVs in recent years were developed by the Central Intelligence Agency, but were stolen. The files were later published online by WikiLeaks.

But as much as the FBI’s warning is responding to genuine fears, arguably one of the bigger issues that should cause as much if not greater concerns are how much tracking data is collected on smart TV owners.

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The FBI recommends placing black tape over an unused smart TV camera, keeping your smart TV up-to-date with the latest patches and fixes, and to read the privacy policy to better understand what your smart TV is capable of.

Smart TVs seem to be just another source of “Surveillance Capitalism” which is definitely creepy but, unfortunately, not always illegal (see 1, 2).

Activist Post Recommended Book: The Age of Surveillance Capitalism

Regardless of the device, wireless connections are also more easily hacked: Amazon doorbells, automated vehicles (see 1, 2), baby monitors, home security systems, medical devices, smartphones, utility “Smart” Meters. 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) technology has a 74% FAILURE rate so anybody using that seems to only be asking for trouble (see 1, 2, 3).