Comment by pchristensen

25 days ago

Different companies have different track records and incentives with regard to privacy. There may be companies more trustworthy than Apple, but there aren't many companies less worthy than most TV manufacturers.

Right but if you are streaming then you are happy to give all your personal info and viewing habit data to Netflix, Disney, Amazon etc to build ad profiles on you, as well as Apple who own the hardware and are feeding telemetry data into your ad profile on their system.

But for some reason Sony or Samsung doing the same on your TV is too far?

  • > But for some reason Sony or Samsung doing the same on your TV is too far?

    The content streamers get your viewing habits by virtue of you viewing their content (like Youtube, or any web site, getting information on what you're looking at by simply logging HTTP GET requests).

    There is no reason why television OEMs need to do screen captures and send them to the mothership.

    It's the first- and second-party interaction: you gave money to Sony/Samsung/etc for a product, and after the exchange there is no reason for any further interaction.

    You have a regular/monthly interaction with content providers: there is at least a valid reason for the content providers to have that information in the first place, and none for the TV OEMs to collect it.

    • You can reason it all you want, but regardless of the product type the fact remains you are happy to give your data to one billion dollar company but not another.

      That is absolutely fine, but IMO it is hypocritical. That is all I am arguing.

      5 replies →

  • > as well as Apple who own the hardware and are feeding telemetry data into your ad profile on their system.

    Are they, though? Is Apple snooping into the Netflix app’s data to track what you’re watching and phone home with that info? Are there studies showing that happening? Are they selling that data to third parties like the TV manufacturers are?