Smart TV viewing-data tracking persists as opt-outs vary by brand
An Engadget report says smart TVs use automatic content recognition to collect viewing data for advertising, while opt-out steps differ by manufacturer and can be undone by software updates.
The report said the core technology is Automatic Content Recognition, or ACR. Smart TVs capture screenshots every few seconds, or multiple times per second, and use them to identify content shown on built-in apps, streaming services, game consoles and streaming boxes. The report compared the process to Shazam, which needs only a short snippet to identify what is playing.
The TVs also collect IP addresses, Wi-Fi details and app-usage patterns, and voice-enabled remotes or built-in assistants capture short audio snippets for processing, according to the report. Manufacturers say ACR improves the viewing experience and is disclosed during setup. Critics say the controls are too complicated and the disclosures are not clear, Engadget reported.
Collected data is processed through an algorithm that creates a 'fingerprint' of viewing activity and is uploaded to the manufacturer, the report said. The processed data may be sold to data brokers, who combine it with other information to build profiles used for ad targeting. Engadget cited Vizio's Platform+, which includes FAST TV, ads and sponsorships, as generating $598 million in 2023, and cited an analyst forecast that the ACR market would reach $23.37 billion by 2034. Manufacturers say ACR revenue helps keep TV prices low, according to the report.
State privacy laws in some cases require manufacturers to be more open about the practice, and the issue has led to court cases, including litigation against major TV manufacturers in Texas, Engadget reported. The article described TV viewing data as one input among many used by data brokers and advertising agencies, which also draw on website ads, loyalty programs and apps to identify audiences. That can link TV viewing to ads seen elsewhere, such as tennis-racket ads appearing in a browser after a viewer watches beginner tennis guides on TV.
Engadget said disabling ACR requires different steps by brand. On Sony TVs, the report said to turn off Samba Interactive TV in settings; on Samsung TVs, to turn off Viewing Information Services and interest-based advertising; on LG TVs, to turn off Live Plus and enable limited ad tracking; and on Vizio TVs, to turn off Viewing Data. For Roku TVs from TCL, Hisense, Philips and Sharp, it said to turn off Smart TV Experience, stop using information from TV inputs, enable limited ad tracking and restrict microphone permissions. On Amazon Fire TV, it said to turn off all three privacy settings, and on Android and Google TVs, to opt out of personalized ads and review user agreements.
The report advised checking settings periodically because software updates can re-enable ACR. It cited Wirecutter's finding that some TVs keep capturing ACR data while offline and upload it the next time they connect.
Beyond the main toggles, Engadget said viewers can disable Wi-Fi on the TV and use a separate streaming device, while ensuring the TV's ACR system is deactivated because it can still see what is on screen. It also suggested turning off voice assistants and microphones in the TV and remote, and blocking outbound TV traffic at the router level or through a DNS blocker, though that may break apps or updates.
Editor's Summary
Smart TVs use ACR to collect viewing data for advertising, and manufacturers offer opt-outs that vary by brand and can be reset by software updates. Privacy laws and litigation are increasing scrutiny of the practice, while manufacturers say the data revenue helps keep TV prices low.