Stop Your TV From Spying: Disable Data Tracking on LG, Samsung, Roku
▼ Summary
– Smart TVs use Automated Content Recognition (ACR) technology to collect detailed data on everything you watch, which is used for targeted advertising or sold to third parties.
– You can opt out of this data collection by adjusting specific privacy settings in your TV’s menu, though the exact steps vary by brand and model.
– For Samsung TVs, disable “Viewing Information Services” and “Interest-Based Advertising” in the Privacy Choices menu under Settings to stop ACR and ad tracking.
– LG TVs require disabling multiple services, including “Live Plus” for ACR and toggles for “Viewing Information” and “Interest-Based Advertising” in the User Agreements.
– Other major brands like Amazon, Roku, Google/Android, and Vizio have similar privacy menus where you must turn off specific data collection and ad personalization settings.
Your smart television is gathering a significant amount of information about your viewing habits, often without your explicit knowledge. This data collection, which covers everything from the apps you launch to the specific shows you stream, is typically used for targeted advertising or sold to other companies. The primary technology behind this is Automated Content Recognition (ACR), a system that analyzes the pixels on your screen to identify the content you are watching, whether it’s from a streaming service, cable box, or gaming console. While turning off these features will stop most tracking, some TVs may still gather basic diagnostic information, and menu names can differ based on your model and region.
For Samsung TVs using Tizen software, navigate to Settings, then Support, followed by Terms & Privacy, and finally Privacy Choices. In this menu, you will find several toggles. Disable Viewing Information Services to stop ACR tracking. To prevent personalized ads, turn off Interest-Based Advertising. If you use voice commands, also disable Voice Recognition Services to halt the collection of your voice data.
LG TVs running webOS require adjusting multiple settings. Start by going to Settings, then General (or System), and select Live Plus to turn it off, which disables LG’s ACR. Next, return to Settings, General, and Advertisements to enable options like Do Not Sell My Personal Information or Limit Ad Tracking. Finally, open Settings, then User Agreements, and carefully opt out of every available toggle, including Viewing Information, Interest-Based Advertising, Voice Information, and Live Plus Automatic Content Recognition.
On Amazon Fire TV devices, including Fire TV Edition televisions, access Settings, then Preferences, and Privacy Settings. First, turn off Device Usage Data. Next, disable Collect App and Over-the-Air Usage. Finally, select Interest-Based Ads and switch it off to stop ad personalization, though generic ads will still appear.
For Roku TVs and streaming devices, go to Settings and then Privacy. Select Smart TV Experience and disable “Use Info from TV Inputs” to stop ACR tracking from external devices. To manage advertising, select Advertising and adjust your preferences. If your Roku remote has a microphone, you can also check the Microphone settings to control channel permissions.
Televisions operating on Android TV or Google TV, such as models from Sony or TCL, collect data through Google’s services. To limit ad tracking, go to Settings, Privacy, and Ads, then turn off Ad Personalization. On some models, this path may be under Settings, Accounts, Google, and Ads. If you are signed into a Google account, you can manage these settings at the account level. Additionally, on Sony TVs, you should disable Samba Interactive TV under Settings in either the System or Privacy menu to stop a separate ACR system.
Vizio SmartCast TVs have their ACR system integrated into the platform. To disable it, navigate to Settings and then Admin & Privacy. Turn off Viewing Data to stop the ACR tracking. Then, select Advertising and disable it to limit personalized ads based on your viewing behavior.
(Source: Toms’s Guide)
