Former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer John Kiriakou has warned that intelligence agencies can turn smart TVs into listening devices even when they appear to be switched off, a claim backed by classified documents leaked to WikiLeaks nearly a decade ago.
A post explaining the CIA's surveillance capabilities went viral on X on 21 May after the account @LeadingReport shared footage of the former counter-terrorism chief confirming that the agency 'can access your phone and laptop microphones and cameras.' The post quickly gained traction, but most users sharing it appeared unaware of the broader context behind his claims.
