Smart TVs are recording private conversations

An attorney was surprised when his new smart TV displayed a 46-page privacy policy. And to most any one’s surprise, he read it. One legalese statement made him wonder if the new device wasn’t a bit too smart.

A recent article by Benny Evangelista & Peter Fimrite in the San Francisco Chronicle noted the statement said – “Please be aware that if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information, that information will be among the data captured and transmitted to a third party.” These TVs can be controlled by spoken word. The owner decided to disconnect the Wi-Fi capability and make his TV dumb. The owner was Michael Price, staff counsel for the Liberty and National Security Program at NYU law school’s Brennan Center for Justice, so he knew a bit about privacy.

The rise of the internet connected home may have gotten way out of whack – in particular because, I would expect, Michael was the only person in the world who bought this TV and read the 46-page disclosure statement. Now that significant progress has been made by the administration and the FCC with net neutrality, it’s time to take step or two in the area of Internet privacy regulations.

There is a California Assembly bill (AB1116) which would force smart TV makers to give customers the ability to opt-out of features that could spy on their private conversations. As the article pointed out, the bill narrowly focuses on smart TVs.

The larger picture is the privacy debate around a wide array of Internet-enabled devices with recording and voice recognition features, from smart phones and game consoles, to connected cars and Barbie dolls. The voice control isn’t really the point. It’s the fact that connected devices, such as this computer I’m working on, are sending “usage” data to providers who are sending that data to “third parties” (and forth, and fifth). It’s my Orwellian big brother who’s watching me.

And, if I watch a fly fishing related show on my Amazon Fire connected TV I’ll get an email ad for a discount on some fishing gear in the morning. Or, if I search for airport parking in my nice new car, I’ll just happen to get an ad next week about the parking down the street from where I went.

There is a lot of money at stake in this kind of system. If you don’t think so, look at Google. And now we need some serious regulations around privacy – for this computer and your TV.