Samsung Electronic has confirmed that its 'smart TV' sets
are listening to customers' every word, and the company has warned customers
not to speak about personal information while near the TV sets, reports
ITRealms.
The company revealed that the voice activation feature on
its smart TVs will capture all nearby conversations. The TV sets can share the
information, including sensitive data, with Samsung as well as third-party
services.
The news comes after Shane Harris at The Daily Beast pointed
out a troubling line in Samsung's privacy policy: "Please be aware that if
your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information, that
information will be among the data captured and transmitted to a third
party."
Samsung has now issued a new statement clarifying how the
voice activation feature works. "If a consumer consents and uses the voice
recognition feature, voice data is provided to a third party during a requested
voice command search," Samsung said in a statement. "At that time,
the voice data is sent to a server, which searches for the requested content
then returns the desired content to the TV."
The company added that it does not retain or sell the voice
data, but it didn't name the third party that translates users' speech.
Samsung, however, insisted that customers about discussing
personal information in front of their smart television set should desist.
ITRealms gathered that the warning applies to TV viewers who
control their Samsung Smart TV using its voice activation feature.
"When the feature is active, such TV sets
"listen" to what is said and may share what they hear with Samsung or
third parties," official of Samsung confirmed, revealing that the third
party in question is Nuance Communications Inc.
*Correspondent with additional reports from BBC.com
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