WORLDTECHResearcher alleges Samsung TVs may listen through soundbars and Bluetooth devices
A researcher claims that Samsung televisions lacking built-in microphones may still access microphones in connected soundbars and Bluetooth devices, according to a report by Android Authority. The allegations have not been independently verified.
What the researcher alleges
According to the report, the researcher argues that Samsung TVs without internal microphones could reach microphones in linked soundbars and other Bluetooth hardware. The same researcher also alleges that the sets record audio events, monitor what viewers watch and may keep sending automatic content recognition telemetry even after the feature has been switched off.
The report stresses that no independent evidence has yet confirmed these claims.
Samsung's earlier privacy disputes
Samsung, an electronics company based in Suwon, has faced privacy scrutiny before. The report points to a settlement with Texas over automatic content recognition and to lawsuits concerning the collection of viewer data.
What remains unconfirmed
Whether the access described actually occurs, and to what extent, is not established by the material available. The claims rest on one researcher's assertions as reported by a single outlet.
Open questions
- Can the microphone access through soundbars and Bluetooth devices be independently reproduced?
- Does telemetry continue to be sent when automatic content recognition is disabled?