How Does My GoogleTV Get New Trailers & Ads without a Wi-Fi or Wired Network Connection?

barge-in hunter on 04/12/2024 - 11:19
Last edited 04/12/2024 - 12:07 by 1 other user

Hey hey OzB brainstrust

I have a ~2019 Sony 55" TV that runs the GoogleTV OS. I don't like GoogleTV at all. Instead, I have an AppleTV plugged in and use that for all our streaming / TV viewing.

Because of this, the TV is not connected to the internet. No Wi-Fi access to any network and no hardwired network cable. It has been setup like this for over 3 years.

I basically use it as a dumb TV, almost never even seeing the GoogleTV home screen - only when someone in the house accidentally presses the wrong button. The other day I did hit the wrong button and loaded the GoogleTV home screen. What comes up? Personalised ads and trailers for brand new TV shows and movies. Content that simply didn't exist 3 years ago.

Can anyone explain how this TV is getting access to the internet? I can't seem to find an answer anywhere - my only guess is it might be going via a Google app on my iPhone, or an old android tablet we have lying around?

To be clear, the TV itself is not directly connected to our home network (checked the router logs) or any phone Wi-Fi hotspots (it doesn't have any credentials).

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Comments

  • MS Paint on 04/12/2024 - 11:32
    -2

    It's just the magic of Google and the Internet. Just be grateful that it exists.

    • barge-in hunter on 04/12/2024 - 11:35
      +9

      Just be grateful that it exists.

      Why should I be grateful that some $3 trillion dollar advertising company can collect data about my kids and I - even when I deliberately put measures in place to stop them?

      • MS Paint on 04/12/2024 - 11:38

        Be grateful you didn't have to go through some long winded procedure to setup Google TV.

        What data on your kids is your TV internet connection collecting?

      • joka on 04/12/2024 - 11:41
        +4

        Well duh how else would it have become a 3 trillion dollar company without stealing your private information and feeding it back to you.

        • MS Paint on 04/12/2024 - 11:50
          -3

          It's not stealing it. You agree to share it when you connect a google device to the internet.

          • barge-in hunter on 04/12/2024 - 11:55
            +2

            @MS Paint:

            It's not stealing it. You agree to share it when you connect a google device to the internet.

            but… I didn't connect it to the internet?

      • spackbace on 04/12/2024 - 11:53
        -2

        can collect data about my kids and I

        As if no other service you use has data on you…

        • mskeggs on 04/12/2024 - 12:23
          +8

          This is pretty disingenuous.
          Post your credit card numbers if there is really no issue with circulating private data just because it has been shared with another party.

          • spackbace on 04/12/2024 - 12:26

            @mskeggs: Apples meet oranges

            Huge difference between access to my funds, versus my browsing activities

            • mskeggs on 04/12/2024 - 12:33
              +7

              @spackbace: Completely agree. You can get a new card number and dispute fraudulent transactions. But if I see from your browsing history you are, for example, watching documentaries about transgender reassignment, adult movies featuring stars who don't match your public professed sexuality, and casting your phone in incognito to the tv when nobody else is home - sharing that information with your spouse, or mother-in-law or pastor, or employer could have serious ramifications.
              Being able to control what information you shared with whom is the fundamental bedrock of privacy.

              • barge-in hunter on 04/12/2024 - 13:16

                @mskeggs: It's a shame you've got a few negs here - unfortunately a lot of people underestimate the impact of freely available 'personal' data.

                I see the big issue as how the data's being used by groups like Google & Facebook right now. By classifying you/your advertising ID into hyper specific categories (age groups, interest groups, devices you own, things you buy, content you consume), fraudsters can create very specific and tailored ways to target you and other people in that same cohort).

                I think of it this way - the more detailed information there is freely available about you in marketing cohorts or audiences (which Google & Facebook onsell to literally anyone), the more tailored a scam/fraud attempt can feel. The more tailored it is, the more likely someone vulnerable is to fall for it. This is a key thing I'm concerned with for my kids.

                • mskeggs on 04/12/2024 - 13:24
                  +3

                  @barge-in hunter: I think that is really sensible, especially when all the messaging from big data corporations like Google is "it's too late, so it doesn't matter", hoping people will be lazy and stop caring.
                  I was very proud to discover my teenagers actively poisoning the well with an extension that background clicks advertisements randomly.

                  It's worth checking out the profile google keeps on you, if you haven't before.

                  • Protractor on 04/12/2024 - 14:36

                    @mskeggs: The genie is out of the bottle as far as protecting our digital stuff. In fact there's so many genies out of so many bottles, even the ppl stealing our data are confused.
                    Good luck poking all them genies back in all them bottles,I say.

                  • mitchalbrown on 05/12/2024 - 10:03

                    @mskeggs: Hey @mskeggs, whats that plugin? Asking for a friend who would also like to poison my.. i mean his well.

  • jv on 04/12/2024 - 11:43

    Google fibre…

  • Boioioioi on 04/12/2024 - 11:47
    +1

    Wow that is interesting, I wonder how it is working…

    Google does allow use of wifi to enable improved location accuracy on phones etc. I wonder if it is somehow reusing this?

    • barge-in hunter on 04/12/2024 - 13:05

      Yeah maybe; some good suggestions below that I'll try out

  • stuffandthat on 04/12/2024 - 11:55
    +4

    Could it be receiving info from the Apple TV via the HDMI?

    • DashCam AKA Rolts on 04/12/2024 - 12:49

      Most likely option.

      • barge-in hunter on 04/12/2024 - 13:05

        Hadn't thought of this one - interesting. I'd be surprised an Apple device would share that with a Google device… but anything's possible.

        • ihfree on 04/12/2024 - 14:34
          +2

          HDMI can support ethernet but I don't believe that is implemented by many devices.

  • AwesomeAndrew on 04/12/2024 - 12:57
    +8

    It could be going through a phone or something. One possible way to find out where it is going through is by turning on airplane mode on all your phones and tablets, then turning it off one device at a time, then clicking on the ad / trailer. If the ad loads, then it is likely the connection is going through the device with airplane mode turned off.

    It could also be possible that you accidentally connected the TV to the internet one time, for example to use casting, and forgot about it, so now it has the latest ads.

    • Bruceflix on 04/12/2024 - 13:01
      +3

      It could also be possible that you accidentally connected the TV to the internet one time, for example to use casting, and forgot about it, so now it has the latest ads.

      Most likely culprit

      • barge-in hunter on 04/12/2024 - 13:04

        Good call; I'll try some experiments when I get home.

    • simplystu on 04/12/2024 - 20:54
      +2

      any kids (or relatives) stay over … trying to setup netflix recently +++ possibly inadvertently failed/stuffed things ???

      EG. connecting Samsung smart-things on TV to Google Home.

      Depending on exact version of TV (but believe majority from 2006 onwards - have it hidden somewhere in settings) …
      you can check to see if TV is connected to WIFI or ethernet +++ more details … EG. MAC address / WAN address / time-online / ETC.

  • daydream on 04/12/2024 - 14:20
    +5

    Unplug the Apple TV then see what the Google TV app can do. If still loading new content then it must have some network credentials saved somewhere. Reset the TV and that should break any connection.

  • stormblade on 04/12/2024 - 23:35

    Could be HDMI with ethernet
    https://www.customht.com.au/blogs/ht-hifi/what-is-hdmi-with-…

  • nswnotill on 05/12/2024 - 07:55

    Are you using the wi-fi signal from your neighbours house?

  • cfuse on 05/12/2024 - 11:38

    OP's family screwing with him by downloading ads when he's out.

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