HACKERS MAY BE ABLE TO TAKE OVER YOUR SMART TV TO SPY ON YOU.
HERE IS GABE
GUTIERREZ.
>> Reporter: SMART TVs
ARE ON DEEP DISCOUNT
THIS HOLIDAY SEASON,
BUT THOSE DEALS MAY
COST YOU YOUR PRIVACY.
TONIGHT THE FBI IS
WARNING YOUR TV CAN BE
A PLAYGROUND FOR A
HACKER.
AT THE LOW END OF THE
RISK SPECTRUM, THEY
CAN CHANGE CHANNELS,
PLAY WITH THE VOLUME
AND SHOW YOUR KIDS
INAPPROPRIATE VIDEOS.
IN A WORST CASE
SCENARIO, THEY CAN
TURN ON YOUR BEDROOM
TV’S CAMERA AND
MICROPHONE AND
SILENTLY CYBER STALK
YOU.
SMART TVs ARE EQUIPPED
WITH MICROPHONES,
OFTEN ON YOUR REMOTE
THAT LET YOU CONTROL
THE DEVICE WITH YOUR
VOICE.
HERE’S THE THING.
SOME EXPERTS SAY THAT
MIC IS ALWAYS ON,
ALWAYS LISTENING.
>> THE SECURITY AND
PRIVACY RAMIFICATIONS
OF THAT ARE HUGE, AND
MANY CONSUMERS JUST
DON’T REALIZE HOW MUCH
DATA THEY’RE GIVING UP
TO USE THE NEW
FEATURES.
>> Reporter: A 2018
CONSUMER REPORTS
INVESTIGATION FOUND
MILLIONS OF SMART TVs
HAD SECURITY FLAWS,
BUT IT’S NOT JUST
HACKERS THAT MAY BE
AFTER YOUR
INFORMATION.
A RECENT STUDY FOUND
THAT MANY DEVICES
AUTOMATICALLY SENT
DATA TO AMAZON,
FACEBOOK AND NETFLIX.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT
THESE COMPANIES ARE
PROFITING OFF OF YOUR
DATA?
>> ABSOLUTELY,
ABSOLUTELY.
>> Reporter: SO IF
YOU’RE NOT COMFORTABLE
WITH THAT, CHECK YOUR
TV SETTINGS.
ON SOME MODELS YOU CAN
TURN OFF VIEWER
INFORMATION SERVICES.
YOU CAN ALSO DISABLE
THE MICROPHONE.
AND AS THE FBI
SUGGESTS, YOU CAN PUT
BLACK TAPE OVER THE
CAMERA.
A LOW TOP OPTION TO