Samsung announced that it will be using a blocking feature remotely on TVs that were looted during July’s shutdown riots.
Samsung to block stolen TVs
According to Bizcommunity, the TV Block technology is aimed at mitigating against the creation of secondary markets linked to the sale of illegal goods, both in South Africa and the rest of the world. The special blocking function will block stolen TVs from anywhere.
“In keeping with our values to leverage the power of technology to resolve societal challenges, we will continuously develop and expand strategic products in our consumer electronics division with defence-grade security, purpose-built, with innovative and intuitive business tools designed for a new world. This technology can have a positive impact at this time, and will also be of use to both the industry and customers in the future,” said Mike Van Lier, director of consumer electronics at Samsung South Africa.
“As an organisation, we acknowledge the critical role in giving our customers and clients peace of mind. Working together, we can overcome the impact of the unprecedented disruption to business, as experienced by many of us recently. We will continue to review the situation and will make adjustments as necessary to ensure business continuity for all,” Van Lier added.
Here’s how Samsung’s blocking feature works
- A TV blocking system has been activated on Samsung television sets stolen from our warehouse.
- The blocking will come into effect when the user of a stolen television connects to the internet, in order to operate the television.
- Once connected, the serial number of the television is identified on the Samsung server and the blocking system is implemented, disabling all the television functions.
- Should a customer’s TV be incorrectly blocked, the functionality can be reinstated once proof of purchase and a valid TV license is shared to [email protected] or click here for more information.
