A user jokes that nearly every tech marketing buzzword — smart, connected, free, AI — really means surveillance. The underlying point is well-supported: most 'smart' devices and free services rely on collecting and monetizing user data, a business model documented by the FTC, academic researchers, and privacy regulators. The post is hyperbole as critique, not a literal claim that every product is identical, but it captures a real pattern consumers often miss. What's not mentioned: regulations like the EU's Digital Markets Act and several US state privacy laws are starting to force disclosure of exactly what these terms collect.