cross-posted from: lemmy.zip/post/51856491
Here’s how to opt out.
Archived version: archive.is/…/samsung-family-hub-smart-fridge-ads-…
Here’s what they look like on my fridge:
I would not buy appliances with ads,
I would not buy them, Sam-I-Am.
Here’s what ads on your $2,000 Samsung smart fridge will look like
Submitted 2 weeks ago by schizoidman@lemmy.zip to technology@lemmy.world
https://www.theverge.com/report/806797/samsung-family-hub-smart-fridge-ads-opt-out
Comments
aeronmelon@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
mech@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
That’s the main issue here. This fridge didn’t show ads when people bought it.
So buying things that don’t show ads isn’t enough. You need to only buy things that don’t get updates.aeronmelon@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Yeah, that just makes this so sinister.
What I mean is that my fridge doesn’t have a screen. So if Panasonic decided to show me ads on a fridge where the most complicated feature is the ice maker, that would be a neat trick.
Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
But… Do you need the LCD panel? Will the box still get cold without it? Cause I do have a hammer…
jubilationtcornpone@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
I would not buy them here or there. I would not buy them anywhere. I do not like appliances with ads. I do not like them Sam-I-Am.
klemptor@startrek.website 2 weeks ago
Not in my house
Not in a flat
Don’t make me grouse
I do not want that!
wesker@lemmy.sdf.org 2 weeks ago
I can’t think of a single thing on a fridge that needs to be smart.
AnarchoSnowPlow@midwest.social 2 weeks ago
Nothing needs to be, but I do like to monitor door status and temperature for my fridge and deep freezers with home assistant.
wesker@lemmy.sdf.org 2 weeks ago
Have these functions actually proved useful? I think I’ve had maybe one fridge failure in my entire lifetime that resulted in a complete loss of contents.
paequ2@lemmy.today 2 weeks ago
To Home Assistant! The cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems.
Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 2 weeks ago
ads
its the same people that bought the 2k beds, and aws froze and heated up the beds.
boonhet@sopuli.xyz 2 weeks ago
Not 2k beds. 2k bed covers. You still needed your own bed.
UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml 2 weeks ago
The people designing them should be smart. Should be…
baggachipz@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
Why. Why would anyone buy a fridge with a screen. We have lots of screens. A fridge does not need a screen. It is a fridge.
melfie@lemy.lol 2 weeks ago
I wouldn’t mind one for playing Jellyfin videos while I’m cooking, having a dedicated screen for the Mealie recipe I’m currently making, looking at a digital family calendar, adding items to the grocery list, etc. A kitchen kiosk with a larger screen that is easy to clean and doesn’t need a login does have some practical uses for self-hosted apps, but…checks list…nope, ads to make some corpo’s number go up didn’t quite make it into my wishlist.
eleitl@lemmy.zip 2 weeks ago
There are tablets with docks available. E.g. I could use Pixel tablet with the hub for that, even with privacy-supporting GrapheneOS.
ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 weeks ago
Screens would get in the way of my many magnets with notes. Not only does it not “need” one, I’m actively anti screen in this case.
Sprawl@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
As a Home Assistant geek, I would love to have a tablet built into the fridge door that I could 100% hack to display useful information and such. Currently I have an Android tablet on the wall that does this, but one on the screen could be cool, especially if you could setup a place for virtual sticky notes that you could leave reminders and such for family members.
MyNameIsAtticus@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
My household has a shared calendar we use to plan events. I’ve thought about a project before just to put a big view version of that up somewhere for people to reference, but I’ve been hesitant because it’s a large household and having to play tech support every time it goes wrong isn’t something i can do.
If i could get a reliable screen on the fridge that could display that, along with maybe a Reminders List and your sticky note idea, that would be perfect. With ads though that’s a big nope from me.
Even excluding my stance on not wanting ads, that’s how you find out the 5 year old accidentally bought something, or that something was leaked in a big data leak. That’s just something i don’t want in my home
harmbugler@piefed.social 2 weeks ago
Good luck when they all have screens :(
Joelk111@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
The issue isn’t that the fridge has a screen. The issue is that the screen real-estate is owned by the manufacturer, not you.
redlemace@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
You do need to have a display to show you what’s in there /s Yes, that’s an actual selling argument (slap my forehead real hard)
boonhet@sopuli.xyz 2 weeks ago
And here’s how to opt out.
I’m opting out by buying a significantly cheaper non-smart fridge. Which luckily is still an option.
melroy@kbin.melroy.org 2 weeks ago
This
nucleative@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I was ready gawk at what ads on my fridge would look like, and then this. I don’t know what I expected.
reseller_pledge609@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 weeks ago
Archived link for you.
nucleative@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Thank you
original_reader@lemmy.zip 2 weeks ago
Guess what they look like on my 250 Dollar dumb fridge.
I can even keep my food chilled with it. Plus I can freeze stuff. Even has a light when I open the door. Super practical. You guys should come see it!
Damarus@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
No they won’t, because I’m not stupid enough to buy a ridiculously overpriced fridge.
ilinamorato@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
This is an amazing article. I’m serious. Very well written. This is my favorite part:
I asked Higby why they were bringing ads to the fridges. He said via email, “This pilot further explores how a connected appliance can deliver genuinely useful, contextual information. The refrigerator is already a daily hub, and we’re testing a responsible, user-controlled way to make that space more helpful.”
This is similar to the justification Panos Panay, Amazon’s head of Devices & Services, made to me last month when I asked him about advertising on its Echo devices. He said it was looking to be “elegantly elevating the information that a customer needs.”
Do these people actually believe this? Do they see advertisements in their own lives and think, “ah yes, that was useful and contextual. That was a helpful ad, elegantly elevating my information.” I’ve seen some delusional people in executive-level roles, but that would be a special new class of delusion. Nobody likes ads. I recognize that some people have higher and lower tolerances for them, but nobody is actually grateful for them. Right?! I need to believe this is true.
Both companies claim they want to offer “curated,” “relevant” ads that might “enhance the experience.” I can buy that to some extent when it’s ads for features that your smart fridge or smart display offers. This tech is complicated and capable, and most people only tap into a fraction of what their devices can do.
That’s generous. But ok, maybe I can grant the premise.
But there is no future where third-party advertisements will ever be welcome in people’s homes like this — even if they happen to show me a brand of pet food right when my dog is looking at me with hungry eyes.
Right. Exactly. No matter what, I can think of no situation in which an ad is serving the customer’s interests. Maybe in the case of a coupon? But even then, I think it’s dubious.
Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
I like TikTok ads. I am not a material person, so I am generally hard to shop for. But since TikTok came out, I am able to provide a list for people of cool gadgets and stuff that aren’t too expensive. Do I like any other ads? No…
ilinamorato@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Interesting. I have not had that experience, on Tiktok or elsewhere. I do have a similar experience with tech reviewers’ videos on Youtube, though. Albeit not the sponsored ones.
quetzaldilla@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Unfortunately, it is paywalled. Can you copy the text for the rest of us?
ilinamorato@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
There’s an archive.is link in the original post: archive.is/…/samsung-family-hub-smart-fridge-ads-…
I’m wary of running afoul of copyright laws to literally paste it here, but I think you should be able to get it there.
sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
Cool, they’re giving me a free $2,000 fridge? Because there’s no way I’m paying for that crap.
3abas@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
There’s a future coming where every fridge sold will come with a screen for ads, and not necessarily any other smart features.
Once people accept this shit, there’s no going back.
echodot@feddit.uk 2 weeks ago
I have never bought a fridge in my life. When I bought this house the owner just left the current fridge behind it has no branding at all and is basically a white box. The only smart feature it has is that it beeps if you leave the door open (although honestly it’s not really much use since it only starts beeping after 10 minutes which I feel like is too long).
GreenKnight23@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
and that future will include me ripping out the network connection cards from the primary boards.
if that bricks it, I’ll just have to setup an “internet” connection.
sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
I sure hope not, it’s hard enough to find nonsucking TVs, I really don’t want to have to find an “industrial” fridge just to get a regular one.
Horsey@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I can totally see it going the same general way as TVs.
asg101@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 weeks ago
I would pry the screen off and dig out the WIFI device if it came down to no other option.
Zier@fedia.io 2 weeks ago
Any "ads" that appear on my fridge will be because I was given a $2000 fridge free by the company.
Only idiots pay for appliances/services that include ads.kami@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 weeks ago
I still wouldn’t buy it, but I agree.
sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
If they gave me the fridge for free, I’d use it, and spend a bunch of time figuring out how to remove the ads. If it’s not possible, I’d just unplug the screen.
toxicbubble@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
can’t wait for the ice dispenser dlc
jaybone@lemmy.zip 2 weeks ago
It’s already a subscription model called a water filter.
davidgro@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Since it’s a Samsung ice dispenser, that’s a recurring charge. (Service calls.)
(Seriously though, I’ll never buy another Samsung appliance after my experience with that fridge’s ice dispenser)
Psychonaut1969@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Same experience with them here. The LG replacement fridge w icemaker also sucks and stops working for months at a time.
unabart@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
The irony of this article being paywalled is the chef’s kiss.
atmorous@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Every day an open source initiative for applicances makes more sense
1985MustangCobra@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
imagine paying 2k for a fridge just because it has a screen and stupid smart shit. basic fridge please and thank you.
Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 2 weeks ago
and play ads on it too.
ArchmageAzor@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Unless you build it and code it yourself, do not get a smart device at any cost. Even if they’re on sale for $5. (Unless you’re just planning on reselling them I guess)
echodot@feddit.uk 2 weeks ago
I would like to know why anyone would go out and buy a smart fridge. What amazing feature does it have that you cannot be without? I seriously don’t get it.
davidgro@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
One thing I heard of that would be handy is cameras in the fridge so while out shopping you can check if you already have stuff or how much is left (depending on the container)
echodot@feddit.uk 2 weeks ago
Does that work though because I can’t imagine you get a very good angle on things unless there’s multiple cameras and you get a composite image one for each shelf.
EndlessNightmare@reddthat.com 2 weeks ago
And here I am all old-school, just making a list for things.
Little8Lost@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I think you can run DOOM on it
Mondoshawan@lemmy.zip 2 weeks ago
But can it run crysis?
woelkchen@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I think you can run DOOM on it
Running Doom on a Linux device with Wayland is not really that much effort once you have a way to execute 3rd party binaries.
scrion@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I could see it if it was a screen I get to control, akin to a smart mirror. Fridge door would be a pretty good surface since I’m guaranteed to look at it a couple of times each day.
Other than that, push notifications if the door is open? That’s about the max when it comes to usefulness I can imagine. Is that a problem that requires a connected device? No, probably not.
However, depending on the model range, it becomes difficult to even get a model that doesn’t have the “smart” features. No one can force you to connect the device though (yet).
Aceticon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 weeks ago
It has been my general experience over the years that with just about all electronics devices with “everything and the kitchen sink”, you’re actually better off buying the elements separatelly.
For example, you’re better of with a “dumb” fridge plus a good tablet and something to hang it on the fridge door. Another example is how a “dumb” TV and a TV Media Box separatelly are a better choice than a Smart TV.
This is because those things usually have different technology life-cycles (i.e. the time period were a tablet is expected to remain useful and performant is much less than for a fridge), some parts are useful on their own and hence are more flexible to use if they’re separate (i.e. a standalone tablet has many more uses than one integrated in a Smart Fridge).
tenacious_mucus@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
Yea, i pretty mich agree with all your points. Made me think of a situation with my neighbor a few months ago- one of their kids left the fridge door slightly open when they left. I think for a weekend trip or something, just enough that everything had spoiled. Lots of meat, too, so they had a blast with that. Some sort of push notification might have helped or prevented that, but otherwise…nah. Dont need nor want any of that always connected, smart, online, wtf ever mess.
Branwen_Cielocanto@piefed.social 2 weeks ago
They can program it in a way that means it will simply stop cooling your food if it doesn’t have internet(and/or if you haven’t given them permission to send ads to at least one other device) XD
Aceticon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 weeks ago
It’s a way of showing one’s wealth (and peak dunnig-krugger status when it comes to technology) to visits?!
Krompus@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Happy with my ad-free dumb fridge.
Let me know when the smart fridge can track when I’m low on essentials and toggle them unchecked on my shopping list, WITHOUT phoning home.
TigerAce@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 weeks ago
Nope. Don’t want a fridge to track what I eat. Don’t want anything to track my data unwanted, just give me a fridge which cools and has a working door. No fancy features, just basic functionality and silent. No smart dishwasher, oven, microwave, washing machine, tooth brush, bed, watch, home hub, locks, lights, etc. I want a smart phone and a smart girlfriend.
Krompus@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
WITHOUT phoning home
If the data is offline, then it only serves you without selling you out. I know it’s unrealistic; why would any corporation make something that benefits consumers and not themselves?!
melsaskca@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
An old cooler with gas station ice is preferable to this bloated spy crap they’re producing nowadays.
Empricorn@feddit.nl 2 weeks ago
No that’s what the front of my fridge will never look like no matter my net worth. I will never buy a smart refrigerator, certainly not this model from Samsung!
Lushed_Lungfish@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
I believe I will continue to use the same fridge that has been in the house since the fall of the Berlin Wall.
ptu@sopuli.xyz 2 weeks ago
Only problem is they become noisy when the coolant leaks out. This is the technical problem they should be solving.
besselj@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
I opt out by never connecting it to the internet.
Triumph@fedia.io 2 weeks ago
I opt out by not spending $2K on a fridge that annoys me by its mere existence.
Branwen_Cielocanto@piefed.social 2 weeks ago
I don’t know if that kind of fridge will do its job without internet, it might just stop cooling your food XD
SaraTonin@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Worth pointing out that that “Target figured out a girl was pregnant before her father did” story is almost certainly untrue: www.predictiveanalyticsworld.com/…/3566/
I agree with the article that getting ads on a device you’ve already paid for with no hint that there would be ads is intrusive and a sad sign of how tech is going (in the same week that it was announced that Apple are going to be adding ads to Maps, too). But I also can’t help but wonder - who the fuck wants a smart fridge? Like, legitimately, what is the advantage over a normal fridge?
ilinamorato@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Not a “smart” fridge per se, but I can see the use of a screen on my fridge; something where we can see our family calendar, leave notes for each other, and maybe also be able to access the grocery shopping list. Weather would be nice too, though you can keep the news widget (yikes). Something in a visible location in our house, where we go every day.
I’m not sure what other features they advertise with a smart fridge, but those few would be nice; especially if I could just plug a raspberry pi into it and skip all of the Samsung nonsense entirely.
bitchkat@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I don’t even like water/ice dispensers on the door. I love the interior water dispensers.
timhayes1991@lemmy.zip 2 weeks ago
Normal fridges are dumb. Smart fridge smart.
Bebopalouie@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
No, won’t look like anything as I will never buy a product like that.
wondrous_strange@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
“Smart” fridges are the dumbest shit ever; given that, pi hole or some ad blocking DNS? Block access to Samsung servers?
Don’t understand people who are willing to let all that data pass through 3rd party servers
asg101@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 weeks ago
Never will I ever get an appliance that reports everything to the internet (advertisers) and forces ads into my home. Fuck them all, there is absolutely nothing they can offer that is worth the spying and intrusion.
M0oP0o@mander.xyz 2 weeks ago
Maybe we are all in the bad place.
rainbowbunny@slrpnk.net 2 weeks ago
But can it run Linux
overload@sopuli.xyz 2 weeks ago
Literally LOL’d when I saw the ad.
BigTrout75@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
“fridge, I need a 12 pack of beer and two large pizzas”. Uber eats shows up 45 minutes later. We’re all doomed! Ha ha ha.
j4k3@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Opt out is idiotic. Don’t buy this shit! You to not own it. What fuckwit dumbass rents a fridge someone else controls for $2k. I bet it has a camera inside to sell grocers a list of what to mark up for your custom pricing nonsense because you bought a billboard that screams I’m a gullible moron with more money than sense.
Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I need my refridgerator to be a box.
A box that gets cold inside.
Thats it. Just a cold box.
mech@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
I just wish I could buy a cold box, a hot box, a spinny-arm water box and a spinny-drum water box without computer chips in them at all.
sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
I also want it dispense cold water. That’s not a requirement, just nice to have.
halfwaythere@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
If you eat like shit, that info can be sold to health providers, insurance for that sweet sweet premium increases too.