Is My Smart TV Spying on Me? When your TV talks back

October 18, 2025 In Consumer Information 6 Mins Read

Wait… Did It Just Repeat That?

So picture this:
I’m in the bedroom, chatting with my husband about something completely random, probably who’s hogging the blanket or which Netflix show we’ll fall asleep to. Out of nowhere, my television yes, my TV suddenly lights up and repeats what I just said. That freakin thing happened, just like that My Smart TV was Spying on Me? My TV was talking back to me. Real talk, Real People.

Excuse me, what?

I froze. My husband looked at me like I was crazy (he does that often when I talk to my electronics). But there it was the screen flickered, and my so-called “smart” TV was clearly eavesdropping.

Now, I’m no conspiracy theorist. I’m the woman who actually reads the fine print before clicking “Accept All Cookies.” But this? This was next-level creepy. Because even when the TV was off, I noticed that little light in the corner still blinking like it was saying, “Oh, don’t mind me, just recording your secrets for ‘product improvement.’”

Let me tell you, that’s not product improvement that’s nosy neighbor behavior.

And when I finally dug into the settings, guess what I found?
Under Privacy and Terms, the AI Voice Recognition setting was on by default. I didn’t turn it on. It was already listening before I even knew it had ears.

The Not-So-Secret Secret: Your TV Is Listening (maybe watching you as well)

Here’s the truth: most of us didn’t sign up for when we “upgraded”:
Smart TVs come with microphones, voice assistants, and features called Automatic Content Recognition (ACR). That’s a fancy term for, “We’re watching what you watch… and probably hearing more than you realize.”

In plain English:
Your TV could be collecting data on:

What shows you watch (and how long)
What you say near it (“Alexa, don’t snitch!”)
Even what devices you connect – laptop, gaming console, cable box – it sees it all

And all of that juicy info gets shared with advertisers, data brokers, and whoever else your TV manufacturer partners with. Why? So they can sell you preferences, your buying habits, your viewing habits, and show you “personalized ads,” and make your living room another marketing lab.

Free TV? Think Again

CTV or Connected TV (you know, the new FREE cable) might seem like a dream come true. You get hundreds of “free” channels, endless streaming options, and personalized recommendations that magically appear just when you’re about to say, “There’s nothing on.”

But here’s the catch: nothing is really free!

Those “free” channels are often funded by your data, your viewing habits, your voice commands, even what’s playing in the background while you’re talking. Smart TVs quietly collect that information and send it to advertisers, data brokers, and analytics partners who use it to target ads across platforms.

In other words:

When I discovered my AI Voice Recognition was turned on by default under “Privacy & Terms,” I realized I hadn’t agreed to anything. I just wanted to watch a show, not star in one.

You’re not just watching TV your TV is watching you !

That’s the tradeoff: CTV may be “free,” but the price tag is your personal data.

So the next time an ad for the exact product you were just talking about shows up on your screen, don’t be surprised. Your TV probably heard you.

Is Your TV Listening When It’s Off?

Here’s where it gets wild.
Even when you hit the “off” button, your TV might not actually be off it’s just in standby mode.

That means it can still:

Listen for wake words like “Hi LG” or “Hey Alexa”
Download updates and new ads
Sync data about your viewing habits

So while your room is dark, your TV might still be awake, quietly listening for your next command.

If you have AI Voice Recognition or Hands-Free Voice Control enabled, that microphone can stay active while the TV is “off.”

In LG TVs, a setting called Quick Start+ keeps the system half-awake for instant power-up. Sounds convenient, right? It’s also the reason your TV might still be connected to Wi-Fi and monitoring background sounds.

To truly shut it down:

Turn off Voice Recognition → Settings → All Settings → General → AI Service → Voice Recognition → Off
Disable Quick Start+ → Settings → General → Additional Settings → Quick Start+ → Off
Unplug the TV when you’re done watching — no power, no ears.
Disconnect Wi-Fi if you don’t need smart features running.

Because the only thing worse than a TV that won’t stop listening… is one that listens while pretending to sleep.

When Did My TV Become the FBI?

We used to joke about “Big Brother watching.” Now it’s more like “Big Samsung,” “Big LG,” or “Big Roku” taking notes while we argue over takeout.

And don’t even get me started on those privacy policies that say things like:
“We may collect audio samples for quality assurance.”
Translation: We heard you telling your teenager to take out the trash.

The worst part? These settings are often on by default. You have to dig, and I mean deep-sea-diving deep through layers of menus just to find where to turn them off. It’s like playing hide-and-seek with your own privacy.

So What Can You Do (Besides Yell at Your TV)?

Here’s what I’ve learned, the hard way:

Turn off “voice recognition” and “ACR.” (Yes, it’s buried, bring snacks, it’ll take a minute.)
Disconnect Wi-Fi when not streaming. A disconnected smart TV is just… a TV.
Use an external streaming stick (like Roku or Fire Stick) easier to control privacy.
Cover the camera and mute the mic if your TV has them. (A little tape never hurt anyone.)
Set up a “guest” Wi-Fi network so your TV can’t snoop on your other devices.
Update your firmware. Sometimes updates fix privacy leaks (sometimes they create new ones, which is another blog).

Real Talk: Technology Is Amazing, But So Is Privacy

We live in an age where our fridge orders milk, our watch tracks our sleep, and our TV listens to our pillow talk. I love innovation, but I also love boundaries.
If you wouldn’t invite a stranger to sit in your bedroom and take notes, don’t let your TV do it either.

So the next time you’re watching a movie and whisper something to your partner and your TV “responds” don’t panic. Just smile, grab the remote, and say:

“Nice try, Smart TV. But in this house, we do the talking.” Real Talk, Real People.

In Consumer Information

Home Energy Assistance Program

March 2, 2018 In Consumer Information 3 Mins Read

Home Energy Assistance Program is back for 2017-18
HEAP is a federally funded program that assists low-income New Yorkers with the cost of heating their homes. HEAP also offers an emergency benefit for households in a heat or heat-related energy emergency. Nearly 1.5 Million Households Received Assistance Last Winter
Households that need help paying their heating bills are able to apply for assistance from the Home Energy Assistance Program. Those looking to lower their energy bills (or at least prevent them from rising) may benefit from the regular maintenance of their heaters and furnaces in order to keep them working efficiently and reduce the need for a full replacement – you can find information on such services here. The program provides financial assistance to help low-income and elderly New Yorkers keep their homes warm in the winter months and cool in the summer months, businesses aren’t in need of this Assistance Program due to being able to possibly achieve decreased utility bills thanks to being able to switch to Business Gas packages for example.
“The Home Energy Assistance Program is vital to helping struggling households afford the costs of heating their homes during the cold New York winters,” Governor Cuomo said. “It provides some much-needed relief, especially for low-income working families, as well as senior citizens on a fixed income. I encourage anyone in need of this assistance to apply before the coldest weather sets in.” With this being said, it is not only residents in New York that can find ways to lower their energy bills. It could be as simple as checking out these Pulse Power plans, for example, in the hopes of finding lower energy rates. This could help households save money too!

The Home Energy Assistance Program is funded by the federal government and is overseen by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. Eligible households can receive a one-time benefit depending upon income, household size and heating source. For the 2017-18 season, a household of four can earn up to $53,484, or $4,457 a month, and still qualify for assistance.

Regular Benefit
Regular benefit component assists households that pay a high proportion of household income for energy.

Emergency Benefit
The Emergency benefit component assists qualifying low-income New Yorkers who are facing a heat or heat related energy emergency and do not have resources above the established limits. If you have an emergency, contact your local department of social services office.

Heating Equipment Repair or Replacement
The Heating Equipment Repair and Replacement benefit component help eligible low-income homeowners repair or replace primary heating equipment necessary to keep the home’s primary heating source functional. Alternatively, you can use Buric Heating and Air Conditioning for your furnace repair if you are not able to get this primary assistance for your home.

Cooling Assistance
The Cooling Assistance component provides for cooling assistance services to HEAP eligible households that include an individual with a documented medical condition that is exacerbated by heat. Because the amount of funding is very limited, cooling assistance services will be provided on a first come, first served basis.

Income Guidelines
HEAP Gross Monthly Income Guidelines

Questions regarding the HEAP program should be directed to your local department of social services office or the OTDA Hotline at 1-800-342-3009.

In Consumer Information

Medical Billing Fraud

December 4, 2015 In Consumer Information 4 Mins Read

Medical billing fraud usually begins with a letter. Today I brought the mail in as usual, but unexpectedly Kurt opened up what was soon discovered to be a bill from a medical provider that we used. Kurt as usual handed the bill over to me and said “what is this, you take care of this.” He does not keep track of these things and as in most families I (the wife) am the record keeper and bill payer. I reviewed the bill and was SURPRISED to see that I was being charged for the entire procedure, even though I was informed that our Health Insurance company would be responsible for the claim. I immediately called the service provider to inquire why I was receiving this bill and I was told by the medical provider that our health insurance company indicated that we had not met our deductible. I told the medical provider that we do not have a deductible and that prior to the procedure being done we were informed by the medical provider that they accepted our insurance and a copay was requested and paid. The medical provider indicated that they were an In-network provider, thus the acceptance of the co-payment.
Kurt and I were outraged by getting a SURPRISE bill because we were told that this was an in-network procedure. Outrage then turned to action. I am fortunate and so are you, my readers, because one of Kurt’s areas of expertise is executive level preparation and training to detect fraudulent medical billing practices. Kurt is trained to implement complaints, appeals and grievance procedures with medical insurance companies, including HMO’s ,MCO’s and other managed long term care plans (MLTC). Luckily there are companies that can help support this for future medical billing issues as well, over at Coronis Health there is software that is protected using industry lead technology for medical centers, etc.
These are 10 steps that have been taken to date to resolve this issue of what we consider to be fraudulent medical billing.
1. Call the Medical Provider and dispute the bill (claim).
2. Call your health insurance provider complaint department:
• Their purpose is to try to resolve any complaints you have with both in-network and out-of-network providers. You as the consumer have a right to make a formal complaint and to request an appeal of any medical bill that you feel misrepresents any procedure that was done, including overbilling or any allegation of fraudulent billing. Kurt recommends that you formally request of the complaint/grievance representative that they document this encounter as a formal complaint/grievance.
3. Ask for the Complaint/Grievance Representative’s employee identification number. You have to be able to document the person, date and time you logged your complaint.
4. Clearly inform the complaint/grievance representative of your allegation of fraud and or problematic billing.
5. Documentation becomes more complete if you include these simple steps:
• Always try to complete documentation requirements by answering the following questions: Who, What, When, Where, How and Why, (the why is often the most difficult and most subjective). If you prepare your documentation to answer those questions you can be confident that 95% of your documentation requirements will be accurate and fulfilled.
6. Get the reference number for your complaint.
7. There are different levels of grievance complaints that you can request from Standard to Emergency Expedited levels. The health insurance carrier is required to respond in a specific time frame based upon the level of complaint that you have made. Anywhere between 45 days to as little as 24 hours of turn around time back to the consumer.
8. The Health Insurance carrier may recommend that you to follow the ‘Information for Members in New York Insurance Plans: Emergency Services and Surprise Bills’
Click on link for steps to follow: Info_ Mem_NY_InsurancePlans_EmergencyServices_SurpriseBills
9. DON’T PAY THE BILL! If you feel you have been fraudulently billed or have been surprised by a bill
10. ACT IMMEDIATELY, DO NOT WAIT!

Our next steps; we are going to follow the Emergency Services and Surprise Bills protocol. We may choose to contact the NYS Attorney General Office to inform them of our allegation of Medical Billing Fraud if we need to take that step. This will be contingent on whether or not this SURPRISE bill is resolved appropriately. Stay tuned!

Special thanks to Kurt H. Leggard, R.N. who helped co-write this article. Kurt is a Registered Nurse, Consultant and a specialist in Long Tem Care, Medicaid Services and Heath Care Grievances, Complaints and Appeals.

New York State Department of Health Medical Fraud Link: www.health.ny.gov

In Consumer Information

Nothing calms a baby like a Mother’s Loving Touch

June 5, 2014 In Consumer Information 3 Mins Read

Nothing calms a baby like a Mother’s Loving Touch

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Mother’s Touch™

NOTHING CALMS A BABY LIKE A MOTHER’S LOVING TOUCH.

Baby Soothe, Mother’s Touch™ is a revolutionary patent-pending infant massaging device that easily calms a crying Shop NORDSTROM for cute, cool kids’ summer essentials.“>baby. Through innovative massaging “fingers” that simulate mother’s affectionate touch, babies instantly feel nurtured and comforted. This baby gadget facilitates a peaceful environment for both parent and child. Perfect for on-the-go, multi-tasking parents who need a little extra help, and an extra boost for things like sleep training with the Ferber method, or parents’ preferred method.

THE WORLD’S MOST INNOVATIVE INFANT MASSAGING DEVICE.

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