Are you watching TV or is the TV watching you?
The FBI has issued a privacy warning that the sleek flat screens could be used to spy on you by hacking into other electronic devices connected to your home network.
Typically fitted with cameras, microphones and a direct internet connection, Smart TVs can browse the web and stream shows but lack the basic security that manufacturers use in computers or smartphones, making them vulnerable to cybercriminals, the FBI announced in a blog post just before the Black Friday holiday shopping weekend.
»RELATED: Man hacks Texas couple's security camera, asks Alexa to play ‘Despacito’
“Beyond the risk that your TV manufacturer and app developers may be listening and watching you, that television can also be a gateway for hackers to come into your home,” the FBI said in the statement.
The agency points to sophisticated hackers who have figured out how to change channels, turn up the volume and even display inappropriate videos, all over the web and from remote locations miles away.
“In a worst-case scenario, they can turn on your bedroom TV's camera and microphone and silently cyberstalk you," the FBI warning said.
It's not the first time such a warning about smart TVs has been issued.
»FROM 2018: Your favorite smart TV may have some big security flaws
In 2018, Consumer Reports announced similar security flaws due to vulnerabilities in devices that are used with the smart TV, such as the Roku, Firestick or Apple TV.
Earlier this year, an Illinois couple said a hacker was able to speak to their baby through a Nest security camera.
»FROM SEPTEMBER: Couple says Nest home security system hack turned into worst nightmare ever
The FBI advises smart TV owners to learn how to disable the devices in the case of a hack. The agency also recommends changing passwords or putting black tape over the eye of the camera when it is not being used.
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