Smart TVs are collecting your personal data through means you may not be aware of.
Smarter than you think
The primary method of Smart TV data collection is through a built-in technology called ACR (Automatic Content Recognition), which extracts information about your viewing habits. This technology can access what you’re watching, when you’re watching it, and your provider information. If you use your smart TV to access services outside of cable TV such as the internet, it can collect information from those sources as well.
Any personal information that TV companies collect can then be sold to companies to tailor content and personalize ads. This is no different than other smart devices selling your information to third parties and data brokers, but because TVs can record data that other devices can’t, such as viewing habits, it further increases the invasion upon your privacy.
If you bought a new smart TV during any of the holiday sales, there's likely to be an uninvited guest watching along with you. The most popular smart TVs sold today use automatic content recognition (ACR), a kind of ad surveillance technology that collects data on everything you view and sends it to a proprietary database to identify what you're watching and serve you highly targeted ads. The software is largely hidden from view, and it's complicated to opt out. Many consumers aren't aware of ACR, let alone that it's active on their shiny new TVs. If that's you, and you'd like to turn it off, The Markup is going to show you how.
Samsung is the most popular TV manufacturer in the world. It took 10 to 37 clicks to turn off ACR, which Samsung calls "Viewing information services." If you've connected your television to a Samsung account, you can opt out of ACR and other ad targeting online as well.
How to Turn Off Samsung's "Viewing Information Services"
Navigate to the home screen by pressing the Home button.
Navigate left to the sidebar menu.
In the sidebar menu, select the Privacy Choices option.
Select the Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy option.
Ensure the Viewing Information Services checkbox is unchecked.
Turn off ad targeting. Underneath the Viewing Information Services checkbox, uncheck Interest-Based Advertisements Services U.S. Privacy Notice.
Select the OK option box at the bottom of the screen to confirm changes to turn off ACR (and targeted advertising if you unchecked it).
