the paranoid part of me thinks this is a war of attrition, where if every company imaginable has to be taken to task for intrusive behavior that we'll eventually grow numb to it, or that with a large enough onslaught we'll never be able to outpace it. It's not like there is profit to be made from preventing this behavior, and incredible incentives to, at minimum, turn a blind eye.

windows update is a well known malware vector, how does this warrant any news? if you absolutely have to use windows, you either go through the effort of stripping the particular version you chose from all the spyware and malware it comes packaged with and gut the malware loader paths out of it, or you accept that you're running a botnet node you have little to no control over.

A malware OS installing other malware seems fitting.

They also come with terms of service which assert that you will inform everyone in the vicinity of your TV that their voices are being recorded by your TV.

I'm starting to think that complaining about these kinds of practices isn't having an effect.

Over time, major tech companies have learned from malware writers and now incorporate these tactics into their own products. This is a matter of great concern.

How to ensure physical devices like keyboard, monitor, mouse are safe? Essentially all recording devices.

Windows is malware that pulls other malware.

Why does a monitor install anything at all? Why does it even have a mechanism to do so?

Not surprised.

My wife CONVINCED me to buy an LG tv instead of my typical dumb monitor.

Now I get constant ads and a constant nagging of updates available, that will install more ads and spying features...