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Your smart TV has one big problem: It's tracking what you watch

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Your smart TV has one big problem: It's tracking what you watch

LG or Samsung really doesn't need to know what you've been watching lately.

Smart TVs are everywhere, but they hide a big problem in plain sight. Not only do they push constant ads in your direction, but they also monitor what you watch to help advertisers personalize ads — not just on the TV, but everywhere else too.

Like most smart devices, smart TVs gather extensive data on your viewing habits using Automatic Content Recognition (ACR). They do this by capturing screenshots every few seconds (or even multiple times per second), which they use to identify what you watch on built-in apps and streaming services, as well as connected devices like gaming consoles and streaming boxes. Just like Shazam, ACR only needs a snippet to identify what's being shown.

Beyond content, TVs capture valuable technical data, such as your IP address, Wi-Fi details, app usage patterns and more. If you use a voice-enabled remote or built-in voice assistant, the TV will capture short audio snippets for processing.

While manufacturers say ACR improves the experience and is disclosed during setup, critics say it's far too complicated to switch off and that none of this is made clear.

Data is fed through an algorithm to generate a "fingerprint" of what you do, then uploaded to the manufacturer for processing. The processed data may then be sold to data brokers, who combine it with other information to build spookily accurate profiles of you. Vizio's Platform+, which includes FAST TV, ads, sponsorships and similar, made $598 million in 2023.


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