The hotel TV privacy mistake that can follow you home

You've just arrived at your hotel after a long day of travel. The room looks good, the bed looks comfortable and there's a big TV on the wall with Netflix and your other favorite streaming apps ready to go. So, you grab the remote, sign in and settle in for the evening. Seems harmless, right?

Here's the part that's easy to forget. That TV was used by plenty of guests before you, and more will use it after you leave. If you sign into a streaming service and forget to log out, your account could still be accessible after you've checked out and headed home. Before you reach for the remote, here's what to know about hotel TV privacy and the safer ways to stream while you're traveling.

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TRAVEL MISTAKE PUTS PHONE, LAPTOP AND STREAMING ACCOUNTS AT RISK

A hotel TV isn't your TV at home. It's a shared device that you don't control. When you sign into a streaming service, the app may create and store a session on that television so you don't have to log in every time you turn it on. That doesn't necessarily mean your password is sitting on the TV in plain text. But if the session stays active after you leave, the next person in the room may be able to open the app and use your account.

Depending on the streaming service, that could let someone watch shows using your subscription, switch between profiles or see parts of your viewing activity. Netflix itself warns that a TV from a recent hotel stay can remain connected to your account. Its Manage Access and Devices feature lets you review recently active devices and sign them out remotely.

There is another wrinkle here. Some newer hotel entertainment systems are designed specifically for guests and offer secure casting from your phone instead of requiring you to enter streaming credentials on the TV. Some of these systems automatically disconnect your device when you check out. That's a much better setup when it's available. Still, you can't assume every hotel TV works that way.

Smart TVs can also collect information about what's being watched. Some television platforms use technology called Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) to identify content displayed on the screen and collect viewing information. The exact tracking depends on the TV, its software and its privacy settings.

That doesn't mean every hotel television is tracking you personally or connecting your Netflix identity to everything you watch. Hotel TVs can use specialized commercial software and configurations that work differently from the smart TV sitting in your living room. But it's another reason I wouldn't treat a hotel television like one of my personal devices.

FLORIDA SUES NETFLIX, ALLEGES STREAMER TRACKED CHILDREN AFTER PROMISING FAMILIES PRIVACY

My preference is simple: keep your streaming accounts on devices you control. Your phone, tablet or laptop already has your streaming apps and account information. If you want to watch on the larger hotel screen, first check whether the hotel offers a casting option that lets you connect from your own device without entering your password on the TV.

If it doesn't, an HDMI cable can be another option. Connect your laptop to the TV and switch the television to the correct HDMI input. Depending on your phone or tablet, you may also need a compatible USB-C or other video adapter. HDMI carries audio, video and certain control signals between devices, but connecting your laptop this way generally does not give the hotel TV access to the passwords, documents or other personal files stored on your computer. One caution: some hotel TVs have locked inputs or hotel equipment connected to the HDMI ports. If you disconnect anything to use the port, put it back exactly as you found it before you check out.

Hotel Wi-Fi deserves some attention too, although there's an important distinction here. Most major websites and streaming services use HTTPS encryption, which means your password and other information aren't simply sitting out in the open for another hotel guest to read.

Still, you're connecting through a network you don't control. A VPN adds another layer of privacy by encrypting the connection between your device and the VPN server. If you use a VPN when traveling, turn it on before connecting to sensitive accounts or doing other private browsing. A VPN service can help reduce what the hotel network or Wi-Fi operator can see about your internet traffic. Just remember that a VPN doesn't make you invisible online. The streaming service you're using still knows you're connected to it.

For the best VPN software, see my expert review of the best VPNs for browsing the web privately on your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at CyberGuy.com.

BEFORE YOU CONNECT ANOTHER SMART TV, TABLET OR PHONE, LOCK IT DOWN

If you're reading this from your hotel room and you're signed into Netflix or another streaming service on the TV, there's no reason to panic. Before you leave, open the streaming app and choose Sign Out. Don't assume that closing the app or turning off the TV signs you out. If you've already checked out and can't remember whether you logged out, do this:

Look in your streaming service's account or security settings for recently active devices. Netflix has a Manage Access and Devices section that lets you remotely sign out individual devices.

If you see a device you don't recognize or one that appears to be the hotel TV, remove it.

Check profiles and viewing activity for anything you don't recognize.

Use a strong, unique password for that streaming account. A password manager can help you create and store a long, random password so you don't have to reuse one from another account. If you're changing a Netflix password, keep the Sign out all devices option selected so existing sessions are removed.

Some streaming accounts use verification codes or other additional checks for certain sign-ins and account changes. Turn on any additional account protection your service provides.

I've stayed in enough hotels to know how tempting it is to drop your bag, turn on the TV and sign straight into Netflix. But I don't like putting my account credentials into a device I don't own, especially when I have other options sitting right in my bag. If the hotel offers secure casting from your phone, that's the first thing I'd look for. Otherwise, I'll use my own laptop or mobile device and connect to the television when possible. I also like using a VPN on hotel Wi-Fi for an added layer of privacy on a network I don't control. And if you do sign directly into that hotel TV, add one thing to your checkout routine: log out before you walk out the door. It takes a few seconds and could save you from discovering days later that somebody else is still enjoying your streaming account.

Have you ever checked into a hotel and found someone else's streaming account still signed in on the TV? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.

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