How to Privacy Proof your Streaming Devices

In this modern era where the internet has addicted everyone towards it by providing social media applications which in starting asks for permission from the user to allow it to use its current location, images, and personal information which is a non-deniable situation for the user because if the user is not agreed to it the application would not work. The same is the case with other devices and especially with streaming devices.

You need a secure internet connection like Spectrum internet more than ever, as Spectrum provides a security suite to protect your devices. However, you need to be cautious while using your streaming devices. 

Let’s have a look at what streaming devices are and how you can protect them.

STREAMING DEVICES

 Streaming devices are the devices that are connected to your television and allow you to play the shows of your choice with thousands of options and are directly connected to your smartphones. But the difference between a streaming device and other social apps is that streaming device does not ask the user its permission to get personal information.

It directly connects the device to the television and gets the information without necessarily asking the user’s permission which is invading the personal information of the user, and that information is not encrypted to the streaming device only, that information is directly going to the company’s data and anyone could invade it because that information is not protected.

This information could be used in unhealthy means for the user because a smartphone connected to your device has every important bit of a person, including the ID card information to the bank account numbers and the address of your house which is the most important information of a person. And anyone could misuse this information. 

THE MAJOR STREAMING DEVICES:

The competition in streaming devices is not limited it has great competition in terms of products though most of them are serving the same functions with 2 to 3 different features but mostly are same and used for the same purpose. It includes Firetv by amazon, Ruko which was collaborated by Netflix in 2008, google Chromecast by google, apple tv by apple, and many more players.

FIRETV

Firetv was introduced by Amazon in 2014 which is a remote stick connected to the television and people can enjoy different tv shows on it through connected apps like Netflix, amazon prime video, and many others, etc. Firetv plays many different functions on a tv and is a pack of full entertainment by providing the free subscription of many different apps, could be changed into OS built and can convert itself into a simple smart tv and it only works on Amazon smart devices.

By the passage of time Amazon has upgraded its stick into the latest versions with newly introduced features in every upgraded version in terms of HD quality and more clarity. It has multiple functions including gaming, podcasting, streaming audio, etc. it has all android features and it is built on an android based system. It gathers all the personal information of a user which a smartphone has as it also plays the role of a smart tv. It is ranked as one of the most selling devices.

ROKU

The differentiation point of Roku with other devices is it can work on any television it is not bound to any particular television, the rest functions of Roku are the same as Firetv by providing different free subscriptions and providing a vast variety of movies, apps, and tv shows. It does work with Google and Alexa, it provides HDR features and could only connect to television sets with HDR quality features.

GOOGLE CHROMECAST

Google Chromecast is a device that is connected to your television and it is directly connected to your phone through which you can operate your television through your phone from any part of your house. The video playing on your phone is directly played on your television even though you closed the video and use other apps at the same time. It also provides HD quality and functions and is connected to free apps too, and can be connected to multiple devices at the same time. 

THE SIMILARITY IN DRAWBACKS

As discussed above all of the streaming devices works on an internet connection based only and when a device is online it means the location, the IP address, and all of the personal information is being tracked, it’s impossible to run these devices or your smartphones without internet, which is the biggest drawback for a user. All these devices play the same role in tracking the information of their users and selling it further. None of the companies could claim these charges as false allegations.

HOW TO PRIVACY PROOF YOUR STREAMING DEVICES

Though it is a whole business running in a nutshell that should be stopped which should have stepped in front to run its business by targeting the audience through their efforts not by stealing the information. 

• All stream devices should add the option of privacy in the accounts of users which should be encrypted end to end and where all the data of the user is secured and protected, where all the personal information is safe, where there is no chance of being tracked by these advertisers or different channels. As the applications have all the terms and conditions where the user is bound to agree to it, the same should be adopted by these streaming devices where it is agreed that no information would be forwarded to any third party it would be just between the user and the company. 
• There should be an option where different advertisements while using the apps should be stopped because these advertisers earn through views and the users are forced to see because there is no skipping option in between.
• These businesses have increased just because a great amount of the population is unaware of these acts they have no idea how their information is being used by the third party and how their information is being sold. By the data collection through a survey of social media users, 86% of the users were concerned about the privacy of their data and knew that it was being used by other parties.
• Those people who are aware are unable to do anything because it is the company’s fault that they are misusing the information of their users.
• Due to hacker’s concerns, the social apps have upgraded the privacy issues and have made it far better than handled before as of now if some stranger tries to hack someone’s email or social media account, an email is generated with IP address and location which has made things far much better. 
• The two-factor authentication is the best way for privacy proofing, the codes are being generated to the user that if someone tries to login the account would not respond until the user itself add those codes to the account which is also directly linked to the WhatsApp number, this is two-factor authentication, one with the account and other with the cell number.

SOLUTION

The best way to secure your data and privacy proof your devices is to minimize the personal information on social apps, browsing should be done through private and secure networks and while agreeing to terms and conditions read attentively what the user is saying “YES” to.

Instead of selling the personal data of users to other parties, these companies should charge the amount from the user for securing their information by embedding their privacy through a secure system. The scammers and hackers are increasing with time, the number of heists has increased drastically just because the hackers are well aware of the personal information and activities of the users of social and they track them step by step and it is becoming a major issue nowadays which should be taken care of before time.