Televisions of this modern age are smarter than ever. Often equipped with neat features like pre-loaded streaming services, voice input, and even facial recognition, consumers don’t always know “what’s in their box”. For this reason, the Oregon branch of the FBI issued a warning about buying smart TVs.

On November 26, the FBI released an official call for caution with purchasing smart TVs. The timing of the warning is directly correlated to the holiday season— especially Black Friday. The core of the concern is found in the following statement:

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… At the low end of the risk spectrum, they can change channels, play with the volume, and show your kids inappropriate videos. In a worst-case scenario, they can turn on your bedroom TV’s camera and microphone and silently cyberstalk you.

Oregon FBI Tech Tuesday

However, the tech community may not be in complete agreement with the FBI’s position on this matter. Digital Trends, an established technology news outlet, believes the government may slightly overstating the gravity of the risks.

But before you go rushing to read the fine print of your retailer’s return policy, take a breath. Despite the dire nature of the FBI’s warning, your actual risks are probably quite low.

Digital Trends

Both the FBI and Digital Trends (in a previous article) have said that hackers could use smart TVs as an access point for to enter your home network and tamper with other internet-enabled devices. Even with that said, Digital Trends believes that despite smart TV security “[having] a long way to go in terms of standardizing”, an updated smart TV from a reputable brand should be relatively minimal.

The following is a compilation of tips provided by the FBI and Digital Trends to keep smart TVs secure:

• Make sure your Wi-Fi router uses strong security and always set your own password instead of relying on the factory settings.
• Keep that router up-to-date with the latest firmware.
• Read and make sure you understand your smart TV’s various user agreements. If there’s an auto-update feature for its firmware, turn it on. If there isn’t, check for updates monthly.
• Check the manufacturer’s ability to update your device with security patches. Can they do this? Have they done it in the past? Consider buying a new TV when and if software updates stop coming.
• If your TV happens to have a camera, consider using a physical cover in front of the lens when it’s not in use.
• Know exactly what features your TV has and how to control those features. Do a basic Internet search with your model number and the words “microphone,” “camera,” and “privacy.” A lesser-known risk is activity tracking privacy.
• Don’t depend on the default security settings. Change passwords if you can – and know how to turn off the microphones, cameras, and collection of personal information if possible. If you can’t turn them off, consider whether you are willing to take the risk of buying that model or using that service.
• Check the privacy policy for the TV manufacturer and the streaming services you use. Confirm what data they collect, how they store that data, and what they do with it.

What do youthink? Did the FBI overstate the risks? Should Digital Trends take FBI warnings more seriously? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook!