this post was submitted on 22 Jul 2026
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It doesn't matter what brand smart TV I have, I never connect them to the internet. I manually download updates to flash drive and install them off the flash drive.
For smart features, I rely on Nvidia Shield TV Pro devices (living room & master bedroom) or Onn 4K (for other bedrooms).
I currently trust Nvidia, and yes, Walmart, more than Sony, LG, Roku, etc. For anything I don't trust on these devices, that's what I have PiHole servers for.
Apparently, TVs don't give a shit. They have mesh networks that'll search and connect with other TVs, until a TV with internet has been found. That TV can belong to anyone.
edit https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25275350
Do you have any articles about this? Would like to read more about it.
I got that as a reply a few weeks ago. I didn't research it further but when true, that's just hacking a network - and it should be illegal. If true.
edit https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25275350
This type of information is irresponsible to repeat without verification. While I agree it would be scary, the current likelihood of a TV OS activating its own wireless systems without user permission and connecting to unpermissioned sources for updates or instructions is slim. At least without some type of malefactor hijacking.
Sorry, I thought the /privacy folks knew what they were talking about. Luckily I started with 'apparently' and didn't double down. Thanks for having me confirm your suspicions ;)