Smart TVs have long dominated the home entertainment marketplace, with internet access and the built-in ability to play content from streaming services like Netflix considered a must for any modern device. But as is often the case when it comes to the relentless drive to connect the world, when you load your gadgets up with both cameras and behind-the-scenes monitoring tech, and then connect them to the internet, you get a lot more than you pay for.
Many modern TVs come pre-loaded with something called automatic content recognition (ACR) software. You’d be forgiven for never having come across this particular term before, and that’s most definitely part of the problem.
In other words, imagine some ad executive standing over you ever time you turn on your TV, recording in minute detail everything you watch and for how long, and then sending (or possibly selling) that data to any number of third parties that you’ve never heard of but who now posses your IP address (which can be tied back to your name) linked to your viewing habits.
Link: How to make your smart TV a little dumb (and why you should)
via mashable.com
