Your Smart TV may secretly use your internet for AI, and no one clearly tells you this.

Calendar 4/10/2026

Your TV can do much more than just play Netflix. New reports show that devices with systems like Fire TV, Roku OS, or even webOS and Tizen can be used as part of so-called proxy networks that search the internet in the background and collect data often without the user's knowledge. It sounds like a conspiracy theory, but it concerns real mechanisms used, among others, for training AI and bypassing network blocks.

Smart TV as part of a global network that collects data for companies and potentially other entities

The whole mechanism is based on so-called residential proxy networks, where your device becomes a “proxy” on the internet. Companies like Bright Data utilize your TV's IP address to gather data from websites, including even video or audio, and transmit it to their servers. This makes it appear as normal user traffic, which allows them to bypass security measures that block bots and AI data centers. The problem is that your device operates in the background, even when you're not watching anything, and the impact on performance or resource consumption is not entirely clear.

Smart TV as part of a global network that collects data for companies and potentially other entities

The entire mechanism is based on so-called residential proxy networks, where your device becomes a “proxy” on the internet. Companies like Bright Data use your TV's IP address to gather data from websites, including video or audio, and send it to their servers. This makes it appear as normal user traffic, allowing them to bypass security measures that block bots and AI data centers. The problem is that your device operates in the background even when you are not watching anything, and the impact on performance or resource consumption is not entirely clear.

Smart TV is no longer just a screen for watching; it is a device that can actively participate in processing data on the internet. The question is: is it worth saving a few zlotys by giving up some control over your device?

source: flatpanelshd.com

Redakcja Choose TV Avatar
Redakcja Choose TV

ChooseTVteam-title