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> I was surprised that the first thing I was prompted to do was to download an app and sign up for an account. The TV would not work unless I was signed in (or

> I was surprised that the first thing I was prompted to do was to download an app and sign up for an account. The TV would not work unless I was signed in (or at the very least the option was so well hidden I didn't see one). Of course the sign up asks for PII like my name and phone number. The only solution we have to this is to return the TV as defective and buy something else until you find something that works without an account or an app. A sane country would have regulations that make spying on you illegal but our government works for corporations instead of the public so they'll never protect us when there's money to be made off of us.

smallmancontrov 8d ago
> our government works for corporations instead of the public Yes, but we cheat ourselves out of change with learned helplessness. Did you see how much hatred the business community directed at Lina Khan when she started dusting off the old antitrust machinery? That happened recently. It can happen again. It was on the ballot, and it will be again.
- ChrisMarshallNY 8d ago
  > Did you see how much hatred the business community directed at Lina Khan Lina Khan truly has the interests of consumers at heart. The hatred was not just right-wing. Many lefties hated her, too. The common thread seems to be billionaires.
  - smallmancontrov 8d ago
    Yes, I saw that too, it was quite remarkable. Still, learned helplessness would have us believe that such an appointment was impossible and yet it happened, and it happened in a Democratic party that leaned "more lib than left" to an even greater degree than it does today, or will in 2028. So when the billionaires twirl their moustaches and say "Silly kids! You can't possibly defeat me, why do you even try?" (or, more realistically, sponsor a lackey to promote that message) one should try to have at least as much gumption as a child facing down a cartoon villain who recognizes this as smack talk rather than deep philosophical truth. The progressives of 100 years ago faced down the first round of Robber Barons and won. We've done this before and we can do it again.
    - ChrisMarshallNY 8d ago
      You'll notice that this was not a popular discussion. HN users don't like it when billionaires are dissed, as many want to achieve that, for themselves. Very much a reflection on the demographics of this site. Maybe not a bad thing, but kind of amusing.
thesuitonym 8d ago
Even if every single person who wants dumb TVs bought a smart TV and returned it as defective, I doubt it would even be a noticeable increase to the number of defective TVs returned.
- Jolter 8d ago
  False premise. Many (most?) smart TVs will work without first connecting them to the network.
  - thesuitonym 8d ago
    That's not related to my premise at all.

smallmancontrov 8d ago

> our government works for corporations instead of the public Yes, but we cheat ourselves out of change with learned helplessness. Did you see how much hatred the business community directed at Lina Khan when she started dusting off the old antitrust machinery? That happened recently. It can happen again. It was on the ballot, and it will be again.

ChrisMarshallNY 8d ago
> Did you see how much hatred the business community directed at Lina Khan Lina Khan truly has the interests of consumers at heart. The hatred was not just right-wing. Many lefties hated her, too. The common thread seems to be billionaires.
- smallmancontrov 8d ago
  Yes, I saw that too, it was quite remarkable. Still, learned helplessness would have us believe that such an appointment was impossible and yet it happened, and it happened in a Democratic party that leaned "more lib than left" to an even greater degree than it does today, or will in 2028. So when the billionaires twirl their moustaches and say "Silly kids! You can't possibly defeat me, why do you even try?" (or, more realistically, sponsor a lackey to promote that message) one should try to have at least as much gumption as a child facing down a cartoon villain who recognizes this as smack talk rather than deep philosophical truth. The progressives of 100 years ago faced down the first round of Robber Barons and won. We've done this before and we can do it again.
  - ChrisMarshallNY 8d ago
    You'll notice that this was not a popular discussion. HN users don't like it when billionaires are dissed, as many want to achieve that, for themselves. Very much a reflection on the demographics of this site. Maybe not a bad thing, but kind of amusing.

thesuitonym 8d ago

Even if every single person who wants dumb TVs bought a smart TV and returned it as defective, I doubt it would even be a noticeable increase to the number of defective TVs returned.

Jolter 8d ago
False premise. Many (most?) smart TVs will work without first connecting them to the network.
- thesuitonym 8d ago
  That's not related to my premise at all.