Samsung has released a new line of ultra high-tech television sets that are not just Internet ready, they’re also microphone and video cam enabled ready to be used as Skype or other Internet communications devices. And as MSN is reporting, they may be the latest and greatest in new and cool gadgets, but they are also raising questions about privacy as the new television sets don’t offer a way to turn the audio and video devices off, or even let users know if they are in use. Thus, as Mail Online suggests, many people who have reviewed the new sets, as well as likely potential customers have come to wonder if they are safe from the prying eyes of the people who make and sell the new line of TV’s, namely, Samsung.
The new TV’s, HDTV and plasma displays also come with software, blurring the line between television and computer. The software has face recognition software in it that assists in helping the camera focus on the faces of people in the room, rather than furniture, pets, etc. But, as MSN points out, it could also be used by Samsung to create statistics about who is watching and when, information broadcasters and those who make commercials would really like to have. Thus, it doesn’t seem too farfetched to believe Samsung could resort to capturing such statistics and selling the results given the behavior of other Internet companies of late, namely Google and Apple who were both found to be tracking cell phone user locations via hidden, embedded applications that allowed them to do so without the user’s knowledge or permission.
MSN (which is a Microsoft site) also makes note of the fact that any new step forward in electronics is almost automatically copied by others, which means other TV makers are likely to follow suit, if they haven’t already started created television sets with such features. This could mean that television viewers are just now on the cusp of a new era in television, where trust may become a central issue.
Certainly owners of such TV sets could simply paste a stick-em note over the camera on their television if they are worried about being watched as they are watching, and place a muff over the speaker, but, as Mail Online asks, is that really where consumers want to go with their appliances?
This is why it is important to only buy items or products to reliable stores like takethecoupon.com. Buying items from reliable businesses will protect you from people or organizations who try to invade your privacy and your personal information.
MSN says that thus far, Samsung has not responded to queries it’s made regarding privacy issues and their new line of television sets, an intriguing development all by itself that rather showcases how big business views consumer privacy rights.
