TCL faces accusations of spying through its TVs in the US

[Redaktion]

The display-maker TCL is now the focus of allegations that it has included "backdoor" software in TVs intended for the American market. These suspicions allegedly come from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Then again, the OEM denies the claims, and that the administration in question has yet to bring these accusations to it directly.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/TCL-faces-accusations-of-spying-through-its-TVs-in-the-US.512382.0.html

[Mate]

Does it matter anyway? USA is not far from China in terms of respecting privacy. Every big company is forced to cooperate with american agencies.

[Chapek]

There is a reason why there phones (Xiaomi) and TVs are cheaper than other standard companies..they make up for the small profit margin by selling your data.
And if it is sold to the CCP, then ask the Uighurs what they're facing..

[James R Craig]

Who cares, if you are smart, you won't connect it to the internet (except by wire for periodic firmware updates) and instead connect a Chromecast, or Roku to add SMART features. This goes for all SMART TVs in my opinion. Get a great deal on a decent TV and don't compromise your privacy.

[Mate]

#2 and what about people imprisoned in Guantanamo and other facilities for years without  charges or even rights as human beings?

Anyway that is why I opt for Samsung whenever I can - its 'sweet spot' outside both China and USA spying networks.

[Dr D]

Fine I'll run Nmap on my router, what should I look for?  You must know if you're making these claims

[Pop]

Fine I'll run Nmap on my router, what should I look for?  You must know if you're making these claims

Just Google TCL backdoor and you will see articles about a month ago from PCMAG and Tomshardware. There is some info there.

[Bula]

All rubbish. They just want people to stop buying their products instead buy American perhaps. All garbage.

[neuwelt84]

I guess it depends on where you live. If you're an American, then China could do with you (in regards to privacy) as it wills. No real recourse. On the other hand, if you're an American citizen, you could at least sue the government or elect better politicians or advocate for new laws. This is not really possible against China.

[Jameson]

Lol, there are hardly any major American TV brands. They all are mostly Japanese and S.Korean.

[Cristian]

It's funny, my google phone listens to my conversations even I don't want. My google phone takes pictures skipping every kind of block I could install on it.
If I talk about something it proposes to me news about that. It takes traces of my whole life even I deactivated it.
But I must have fear of Chinese backdoors.
Propaganda, it's only us propaganda.

[Phrank]

So if I turn off WiFi and just use it as a big cheap 4k PC monitor there's really no way the TV can talk to some Chinese server right?

[Todd]

Google uses your data for marketing. China uses your data for, um, marketing? I guess it depends on what the CCP wants to do with you.

It's funny, my google phone listens to my conversations even I don't want. My google phone takes pictures skipping every kind of block I could install on it.
If I talk about something it proposes to me news about that. It takes traces of my whole life even I deactivated it.
But I must have fear of Chinese backdoors.
Propaganda, it's only us propaganda.

[Todd]

I also don't remember being sentenced for provoking quarrels because of my Google devices.

Google uses your data for marketing. China uses your data for, um, marketing? I guess it depends on what the CCP wants to do with you.

It's funny, my google phone listens to my conversations even I don't want. My google phone takes pictures skipping every kind of block I could install on it.
If I talk about something it proposes to me news about that. It takes traces of my whole life even I deactivated it.
But I must have fear of Chinese backdoors.
Propaganda, it's only us propaganda.

[HuiRong]

Well duh. China officially sees free information as an issue and must be controlled by the party, see Document Number Nine (at Wikipedia):

"Promoting the West's idea of journalism, challenging China's principle that the media and publishing system should be subject to Party discipline."

The USA is going to use your information for whatever from marketing to intelligence, but China? It is far less tolerant of a variety of ideas and behaviors. All your information leaked to the CPC is used for things like "managing" minorities, Hong Kong and other dissenters. China is downright hypocritical about leaking information too, like Zhang Zhan, the woman who leaked information about the seriousness of Wuhan's outbreak of COVID-19 is sentenced to 4 years in prison, even though that information was highly valuable to all other people on this planet. Where the USA is heading is scary, but China is way scarier already. Frankly, I don't care for either. I think we've seen enough of both countries during the pandemic and I wouldn't live in the USA and wouldn't do business with the Chinese, period.

I also don't remember being sentenced for provoking quarrels because of my Google devices.

Google uses your data for marketing. China uses your data for, um, marketing? I guess it depends on what the CCP wants to do with you.

It's funny, my google phone listens to my conversations even I don't want. My google phone takes pictures skipping every kind of block I could install on it.
If I talk about something it proposes to me news about that. It takes traces of my whole life even I deactivated it.
But I must have fear of Chinese backdoors.
Propaganda, it's only us propaganda.