Big Brother smart TVs that eavesdrop

We have a Samsung smart tv but not sure if its that exact one unless I check, but we never turned on the voice activation feature...
It is a bit freaky a bit like leaving your web-cam on a laptop or PC so it can be used to spy on you luckily mine has a cover you pull down over the camera.. just in case

Oh yes Jane I talk to my TV all the time. I shout out the answers during The Chase, I yell at it during Question Time, I tell the characters in Broadchurch to stop muttering and I get very vocally involved in The Voice.

When I bought mine I was told I could talk to it, so I do.

I do have a Samsung Smart TV, but I've examined the remote control thoroughly and it doesn't seem to have that function, though there are still some symbols that I don't quite understand yet.

anya I do hope you aren't a spy, that's all.

I expect it waits until you doze off and sends out feelers into your brain...

If I had one, all it would hear (apart from requests for coffee) would be 'not more bloody adverts!'. It would be very disappointed.

anno it looks like a microphone icon..with 'voice' written under it.

So it's like a voice-activated satnav/phone/tablet? You can just tell it to change channels?

But can't tell it to stop spying on you, presumably!

Yes its like that but I think it only works if its activated as we don't activate it I assume we are safe I'll have to check this out more thoroughly methinks

I'd be sitting there expecting it to tell me to sit up straight and stop slouching. Like permanent Skype. But really it's no different from having your home bugged, is it?

jane you have to activate it for it to work so no its not like a bug recording everything thats said. I might activate it just to see if it does tell me to stop eating those chocolates

We dont have one, and wouldnt consider buying one I dont think. There is no way I would want one.

The problem would come, I would think, if you cant get anything but those sorts. But then, would have to look into importing privately.

I suppose it would help the people who are looking for terrorists.

Expert on TV this morning said if you haven't clicked on the mic icon then it won't be able to listen to you.

I don't think there is anyone on the other end who would be remotely interested in what you said.

Even if it was to be used for spying I wouldn't give a toss... it might pick up twenty minutes here and there of me, snoring, and a fat lot of good that would do anybody.

What makes everybody think their small-talk is of the slightest interest to anybody anyway?

Because it isnt always small talk.
Nationally, what about faiths, or political speech, or council talk, etc etc?Or talk about business? The list goes on and on..
The information could get bought and bought and bought...to get into the hands of who knows who.

Exactly. Because some people have their tvs on permanently, like noisy wallpaper.

It would be the thin end of the wedge. Next thing you know, our computers will keep a list of what websites we have visited, supermarkets will offer us shopping lists of the things we normally buy, with discounts, online firms where we have bought something will contact us to invite us to buy attachments for it . . . .

Ohhhh! They already do!

I have a Samsung TV but it doesn't have that function. Phew! Goodness only knows what the DH would say in front of it, if it did!

We have one but haven't activated it, or most other things it can do! I imagine most smart tvs can, or will, do the same thing!

If ours is listening to me it will hear, 'B****y sky hasn't recorded Stenders, AGAIN!'

#avoidparanoiaatallcosts

#theredsunderthebedshaveallgonehome

There was a wonderful song called Paranoia.

Me and my paranoia are quite happy, thank you. I shall just turn off my phone, tablet and what have you whenever I go to someone's house, in case they talk to smart tv behind my back.