warning in the legal agreement: “Please be aware that if your spoken words include personal
or other sensitive information, that information will be among the data captured and trans-
mitted to a third party.” In other words, the voice collected by the TV’s microphone is pro-
cessed in an external server on the Internet. This means that the actual spoken audio is acces-
sible by a third party. Apple’s Siri also works this way. Some families and corporations may
feel uneasy about enabling a feature like this; however, many people are not aware that this is
happening behind the scenes. Furthermore, it is unclear what the service providers are doing
to make sure the audio captured on their servers is kept secure from intruders. The point here
is that Smart TV manufacturers need to be clear and up-front about their intentions and pro-
vide evidence of due diligence so users are informed and can make their own choices.
The cybersecurity profession is thriving with researchers (such as the ones presented in
this chapter) who are finding and reporting security issues, which is putting pressure on
Smart TV providers to secure their platforms. Increased awareness of customers of potential
risks and the options available to them will further assist in a positive way. Our TVs, still the
most popular glass slabs around us, aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. We are going to see
more Smart TVs around us in the next few years. We will enjoy all the new features they bring
with them. With push in the right direction on part of the manufacturers and consumers, we
hope to take our journey into the glass slab future as securely as possible.
CONCLUSION 155