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Disabling wi-fi on Samsung home appliances (specifically dishwasher)
(www.costco.com)
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this post was submitted on 15 Sep 2024
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Privacy
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If you don’t hook it up to your network, what’s the problem?
It may try to connect to open wifi networks instead, maybe
Honestly asking; Why would I care if my dishwasher connected to some random Wi-Fi. What does it know about me? Someone gonna hack it?
There have been instances of network-enabled devices updating to put existing features behind a paywall, unilaterally changing the terms of service (can't use device anymore until you agree to new terms), and simply removing features that you paid for when you bought the device.
Why does a dishwasher need wifi?
So you can get an alert when the dishes are done.
Not justifying the feature itself, but there is a purpose.
How is that legal? Could u buy a dishwasher then 3 months later it starts asking for a small fee per wash?
I know these things happen but usually you are informed in advance and bought the product at a big discount
It will be buried somewhere in the terms & conditions.
It probably requires an app to monitor the wash cycle. All they have to do is start charging a subscription to use the app. If people bought the dishwasher because they would get alerts when their dishes were clean, now they have to pay a recurring fee.
Roku pushed an update to their TVs requiring owners to agree to a new terms of service. There was no "disagree" button, and the TV wouldn't work until people accepted the changes.
This is such a new problem that it's never been challenged in court.
Good point
If you're asking in earnest, the last decade has shown for profit corps know no bounds in using technology to extract, poorly protect, and often aggregate and then will make any attempt to monetize possible--often retroactively. While a dishwasher might not have much data in itself to exploit, if your internet connected TV, Car or phone which is constantly scanning for nearby WI-FI items or networks decided to start cataloguing them...well then that would just be a Tuesday for Google, Ford or Sony right?
The more data points, the worse. More breaches, more creepy facts about us floating around in some creepy company or regime's stockpile of data to be used, unilaterally against me. Or maybe the next company to buy the current company I'm happy with. Or the next regime that decides people like me aren't full humans. Between your computer and phone, most people's lives are somewhat laid bare, but add in car tracking which auto companies have stuck their funnel into during the last 5 years, add in appliances, put Wi-Fi if your shower handle...again the people adding Wi-Fi to things like a dishwasher that don't need it have only one thing to gain, monetizing your data and selling it to someone who wants to control you in some way.
Oh no, my privacy is ruined!
Like what? Home wifi requires passwords.
Guest networks don’t necessarily require passwords.
Then require one. You're acting like this is an unavoidable thing. You just simply don't connect the appliance to the Internet.
It's not difficult.
Some people live in apartments.
Neighbors, bro. You can't control networks you don't own.
Are you really this obtuse, or is this just an act?
It's a dishwasher. You're the one being obtuse.
All the more reason it doesn't need to be on the internet.
Exactly
I can’t make my neighbors require one.
Home wifi requires a password. This isn't 1990
What router are you using that legit requires a password for access?
Every router in the last twenty years.
Are you guys being stupid on purpose?
From my bedroom, right this moment, there are four unsecured networks I can connect to, which I do not own or control.
This is not an uncommon scenario.
At least in some places, having open wi-fi without KYC is illegal, so the neighbors aren't going to do this - passwordless is not the default.
I can’t make my neighbours obey the law either
Ok dude.
Have you ever set up one of these devices? It's not a case of 'find my wifi, enter in passkey, connected' they literally broadcast an unsecured ad hoc network that you connect to and configure from.
If you never connect it it will sit there blaring an unsecured wifi with access to its core configuration forever
This shows so much privilege. Apartments, townhomes, condominiums. Sometimes you're scrolling through pages of Wi-Fi networks from your neighbors looking for your own SSID right next to the device.
Yeah, you can't do shit about open Wi-Fi networks near you and promiscuous devices.