The Mary Sue
‘People can see inside your house’: Woman buys brand-new Roku TV from Walmart. …
A Walmart customer was completely shocked when her recently purchased television began displaying live video from another person’s home.
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Returned Walmart Roku TV Allegedly Exposes Previous Owner's Home via Camera Feed, Sparking Privacy Fears
A recent viral video has brought to light a concerning incident involving a returned Roku TV purchased from Walmart. According to the video's creator, a friend bought a 'brand new' Roku TV in December, only to find that it was still logged into the previous owner's account. More disturbingly, the TV allegedly provided access to the previous owner's home security camera feed, allowing the new owner to view inside their former residence. The video, shared by TikTok user Helene Braaten, details how notifications began appearing on the TV screen a week ago, prompting an investigation. Upon checking, the new owner reportedly discovered live footage from someone's home. The original owner had apparently returned the TV to Walmart without logging out of their accounts or factory resetting the device. The new owner attempted to log out but was prompted for a password, which they did not have. Walmart, when contacted, reportedly advised the new owner to perform a factory reset on the device. This incident raises significant privacy concerns, highlighting the potential risks associated with purchasing returned smart devices and the importance of ensuring personal data is wiped before returning electronics. Experts often recommend a complete factory reset on any smart device before returning or selling it to prevent unauthorized access to personal information and connected systems. The veracity of the claim regarding Roku TVs having built-in cameras capable of live home monitoring is currently under scrutiny, as standard Roku TVs are not known to possess such features; however, the incident has sparked widespread discussion online about digital privacy and consumer protection.
