Smart TV security risks and privacy risks are real:  When you consider buying any "smart" product-which is any device that has the ability to connect to the internet-security should always be a top concern. Every internet-ready device contributes to the internet of things, which is arguably one of the worst security nightmares today. As it turns out, smart TV's are one of the worst offenders in this area. They put your privacy and security at risk in several ways:  even the FBI has issued warnings about the risks of smart tv's.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Nearly all smart TVs use automatic content recognition (ACR) to track what you're watching. They use this information to show you more relevant ads. While you can often limit the collection of this data, its usually difficult to find or reverse. Do you really want to share everything you watch with your TV manufacturer?  Some smart TVs have integrated cameras, and most have a microphone. Malicious actors could take advantage of the above security vulnerabilities to spy on you through your webcam. And it isn't just hackers abusing this: In 2015, CNN reported that Samsung's privacy policy mentioned transmitting your conversations to a third party. That's a lot of data for collection when you just want to watch something on your TV.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Set-Top boxes like the Apple TV and streaming sticks like the Chromecast do everything your smart tv can do, but better. They're inexpensive and much more flexible. And, since you can add them to any tv, your television set itself remains a simple display while the device handles what you're  watching. Smart tvs have inefficient interfaces-Smart functionality requires a suitable interface. Smartphones and computers are great because they both support two important input methods; typing and pointing. Smart tvs are terrible at both, and this can lead to a lot of frustration.