AMERICANS PRIVACY RIGHTS HAVE GONE TO WAYSIDE - New Smart TVs Indicate Further Invasion

(12/02/2019)
Since 9-11 the personal privacy rights of Americans have gone to the wayside.

Worst yet, most Americans don't seem to care.

It has been normalized.

As smart TVs fly off store shelves for the holidays, the FBI warns that screens with advanced technology, like cameras and microphones, could be hacked by cybercriminals, who could potentially snoop.

“Beyond the risk that your TV manufacturer and app developers may be listening and watching you, that television can also be a gateway for hackers to come into your home,” Beth Anne Steele with the FBI in Portland, Ore., said.

“A bad cyber actor may not be able to access your locked-down computer directly, but it is possible that your unsecured TV can give him or her an easy way in the backdoor through your router.”

To protect yourself, the agency recommends changing the default password and updating the software.

For an extra layer of protection, also consider putting black tape over the camera hole or disabling the microphone.