My question is what do you connect this TO that doesn't spy. I get you can use a Smart TV and switch to HDMI input but there's no guarantee the TV is not spying on you in some way, if not today then tomorrow these things will come with eSIM support to upload ACR data even when 'disconnected' or connect to your smartphone over some ad tech protocol to do the same.

Yeah, this is certainly already a problem.

I trust Apple for a number of reasons, but I really had to be really aggressive about the TV it’s connected to.

But also, a smaller footprint is a smaller footprint. I’ll take “better” where I can get it.

..: Surely the specs (or … whatever compliance paperwork, CE etc?) of the device have to state if it includes a modem or not?

If it does then don’t buy it?