Technology is great, right? But what about when someone else takes control of it? The very idea can be terrifying, which is exactly what Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene says happened to her recently.
On Sunday, she shared, “Last night in my DC residence, the television turned on by itself, and the screen showed someone’s laptop trying to connect to the TV.”
Last night in my DC residence, the television turned on by itself and the screen showed someone’s laptop trying to connect to the TV.
Just for the record:
I’m very happy.
I’m also very healthy and eat well and exercise a lot. I don’t smoke and never have. I don’t take any…— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) June 25, 2023
She added that, no, she doesn’t smoke, do drugs, or take any medications. Nor is she vaccinated or unhealthy, according to science. So the likelihood that she imagined this is pretty impossible.
Even more terrifying is that more than a few social media users noted that this is not all that uncommon for smart TVs. In fact, just like most “smart” technology, TVs such as MTG’s are hackable.
Someone was casting their screen to your TV. Make sure your devices aren't visible to others. Look up how to set that for your devices.
— Karen Grube (@klgrube) June 25, 2023
Hell, even the FBI has admitted that most smart devices, such as MTG’s TV, can rather easily be turned into spying devices.
According to a CBS report, “Beyond the risk that your TV manufacturer and app developers may be listening and watching you, that television can also be a gateway for hackers to come into your home.”
— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) June 25, 2023
They added that “at the low end of the risk spectrum” are the possibility that someone could mess with your volume, change the channels and maybe show your kids an inappropriate show to two. However, the “worst-case scenario” is that these hackers can literally turn your TV camera on so that they can watch and listen to whatever goes on in that room.
To be sure, it’s horrifying to even imagine.
Luckily, as several social media users mentioned to MTG, there are relatively simple ways to stop these things from happening.
First of all, is to ensure that you have some security features set up on your device. Most are even fairly easy to find in your TV settings. Others can be found online with little to no difficulty. And then, of course, some companies and apps specialize in protecting your “smart” devices for a price.
In any case, I doubt this was a figment of MTG’s imagination.
