DTV Converter Coupon Conspiracy

I bought my digital conversion box today at Sam's Club. They scanned the serial number. The government coupon people could gather the serial number and associate with the address. Perhaps their cover-story is coupon fraud prevention, but maybe there's a government backdoor in the digital converter boxes, tracking what you watch and profiling your terrorist tendancies.

The only thing stopping them is the hardware manufacturers. All the manufacturers need is retroactive immunity whenever some news media breaks the story. Oh, wait, the news media wouldn't break the story because the government-specified digital tuner boxes would block the story!

Well, maybe I exaggerate since the TV coupon site has open QA regarding the eligible converter box specifications.