Your smart TV is collecting detailed information about everything you watch. From which apps you open to what shows you stream, your TV monitors your viewing habits and reports back to the manufacturer. That data gets used for targeted advertising or sold to third parties.
This tracking happens through technology called Automated Content Recognition (ACR), which samples pixels from your screen to identify what content you’re watching. It works whether you’re streaming through apps or watching from external devices like cable boxes or game consoles.
1. Samsung TVs
Samsung TVs use Tizen software and include tracking features for viewing data, voice recognition, and advertising.
Go to Settings, then Support, then Terms & Privacy, then Privacy Choices. This menu contains all the privacy settings you need to adjust. Select Viewing Information Services to disable ACR tracking. This stops Samsung from monitoring what content you watch
To turn off personalized ad tracking, select Interest-Based Advertising. This prevents Samsung from using your viewing data to target ads. If you use Samsung’s voice features, select Voice Recognition Services to disable voice data collection.This stops the TV from recording and analyzing voice commands.
2. LG TVs
LG smart TVs run webOS and collect viewing data through several separate services, which means you’ll need to disable more than one setting to fully opt out.
First, go to Settings, General (or System, depending on your model) and select Live Plus, then turn it off. This disables LG’s Automated Content Recognition (ACR), which identifies what you’re watching across apps and external devices.
Next, return to Settings, General, Advertisements and enable Do Not Sell My Personal Information or Limit Ad Tracking. This limits how LG uses your data for targeted advertising.
Finally, open Settings, User Agreements and review each option carefully. Opt out of Viewing Information, Interest-Based Advertising, Voice Information, and Live Plus Automatic Content Recognition wherever those toggles appear.
3. Amazon Fire TVs
Amazon Fire TV devices, including Fire TV Edition TVs from brands like Toshiba and Insignia, collect viewing and usage data through Amazon’s platform.
Go to Settings, Preferences, and Privacy Settings. This menu contains Amazon’s main privacy controls. First, select Device Usage Data and turn it off. This limits how Amazon collects information about how you use the device and its features.
Next, select Collect App and Over-the-Air Usage and disable it. This reduces tracking of which apps you use and what live or broadcast TV content you watch. Finally, select Interest-Based Ads and turn it off. This stops Amazon from using your activity to personalize ads, though you’ll still see advertising.
4. Roku TVs
Roku TVs (initually made by TCL, Hisense, and sold under Roku’s own brand) and Roku streaming devices collect viewing data through the Roku platform.
First, go to Settings, then Privacy. This menu contains all privacy-related options. Select Smart TV Experience and disable “Use Info from TV Inputs.” This turns off ACR tracking for content from external devices like cable boxes.
To adjust ad tracking settings and limit personalized advertising, select Advertising. Select Microphone to control settings for Channel Microphone Access and Channel Permissions if your Roku remote has voice features.
5. Android and Google TVs
TVs running Android TV or Google TV — including models from Sony, TCL, Hisense, and others, collect viewing and usage data primarily through Google’s advertising and account services. Some models also include third-party Automated Content Recognition (ACR), such as Samba TV.
To limit Google’s ad tracking, go to Settings, Privacy, and Ads. Then turn off Ad Personalization to prevent Google from using your activity on the TV to personalize ads. On some models, this may instead appear under Settings, Accounts, Google, and Ads.
If you’re signed into a Google account on your TV, you can also manage ad settings at the account level by selecting your Google account and reviewing privacy and ad preferences.
On Sony TVs, there is an additional ACR system to disable. Go to Settings, System or Settings, Privacy and turn off Samba Interactive TV. This stops Samba TV from identifying what you’re watching across apps and external inputs.
6. Vizio TVs
Vizio SmartCast TVs collect detailed viewing data through an ACR system built directly into the platform. This makes disabling these settings especially important if privacy is a concern.
Go to Settings and Admin & Privacy. This is where Vizio groups its privacy controls. Select Viewing Data and turn it off. This disables Vizio’s ACR system, preventing the TV from identifying what you’re watching across apps and connected devices.
Next, select Advertising and disable it to limit ad personalization and tracking tied to your viewing behavior.
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