Smart TVs have changed the way we watch television. They can stream Netflix, run apps, connect to game consoles, recommend shows, and even respond to voice commands. But behind those convenient features, some TVs also collect information about what appears on the screen.
One of the main technologies responsible is called Automatic Content Recognition, or ACR. It can identify television programs, movies, advertisements, and other content, including content coming from devices connected through HDMI.
That does not automatically mean your television is secretly recording everything around you. ACR is primarily designed to recognize viewing activity and use that information for features such as recommendations, audience measurement, and advertising. However, the amount of data collected and the privacy controls available vary by brand, model, and region.
What Is Automatic Content Recognition?
Automatic Content Recognition works somewhat like a fingerprinting system for television content.
Instead of simply knowing that an HDMI port is being used, an ACR system can analyze samples of the content appearing on the screen and create a digital fingerprint. That fingerprint can then be compared with a database to identify the program, movie, advertisement, or game being displayed.
Roku, for example, says its ACR system creates an encrypted fingerprint from samples of pixels on the screen and compares it with its content catalog. Roku says the feature can identify content from streaming services, antenna broadcasts, and connected devices.
This is important because ACR can operate at the TV operating-system level rather than being limited to one streaming application.
Your HDMI Devices Can Be Part of the Picture
Many people assume that using a PlayStation, Xbox, laptop or cable box means the TV manufacturer cannot see what is being displayed.
Recent testing by RTINGS suggests the situation can be more complicated. In testing of several smart TVs, researchers observed identifiable ACR-related traffic across different types of content. On an LG G5, the testing included built-in apps, USB playback and HDMI-connected devices, with particularly frequent ACR-related activity observed during HDMI testing.
That does not mean the manufacturer necessarily receives a recording of everything on the screen. The network traffic observed by researchers was not, by itself, enough to determine exactly what information was being transmitted in every case. But it demonstrates why ACR is different from the tracking performed by an individual streaming app.
Netflix, for example, can know what you watch inside Netflix. A TV-level ACR system can potentially identify content appearing through several different sources.
A Real-World Example: Vizio
This is not just a theoretical privacy concern.
In 2017, the US Federal Trade Commission and the New Jersey Attorney General announced a $2.2 million settlement with Vizio over allegations that the company collected viewing information from about 11 million televisions without consumers’ knowledge or consent.
According to the FTC, Vizio TVs captured second-by-second information about video displayed on the television, including programming coming from cable, set-top boxes, DVDs, over-the-air broadcasts and streaming devices. The agency also alleged that the viewing information was combined with demographic information and shared with third parties for purposes including targeted advertising.
The case ultimately required Vizio to provide clearer disclosures, obtain affirmative consent for its data practices and delete certain previously collected information.
It remains one of the clearest examples of why consumers should pay attention to smart TV privacy settings rather than simply accepting every option during setup.
Samsung Also Uses ACR
Samsung says some of its Smart TVs can use optional ACR technology through its Viewing Information Services.
According to Samsung, when ACR is enabled, the technology can collect information such as programs viewed, the amount of time spent watching them, a Smart TV identifier and the device’s IP address.
Samsung also explicitly says its ACR technology does not record or watch the content displayed on the TV. The company says users can opt out of ACR and viewing-history collection through the TV’s settings.
This distinction is important. ACR-based viewing tracking and microphone-based voice features are different technologies and should not automatically be treated as the same thing.
What About LG TVs?
LG has also published information about how ACR works on its Smart TVs.
LG says ACR is an optional feature and is turned off by default. The company says users must accept its Viewing Information Agreement to enable ACR. LG also says ACR uses audio fingerprinting to identify supported content and that personalized interest-based advertising requires separate consent. Users can withdraw their consent and disable ACR through the TV settings.
LG’s explanation also highlights why television privacy settings can be confusing: some privacy agreements may cover multiple connected features, so declining one option can sometimes affect particular smart functions.
Roku Can Identify Content From Connected Devices
Roku provides one of the clearest descriptions of ACR.
The company says its Smart TV Experience uses ACR to collect information about movies, TV shows and games viewed through streaming services, antenna broadcasts and other connected devices. Roku also says ACR is not enabled out of the box and can be disabled under Settings → Privacy → Smart TV Experience.
There is another important detail. Roku says that if ACR has previously been enabled and later disabled, information collected while the feature was active may still be retained.
How to Stop or Reduce Smart TV Tracking
You do not necessarily have to throw away your smart TV to improve privacy. The first step is to review the settings you agreed to during setup.
Look for options with names such as Automatic Content Recognition, Viewing Information, Viewing Data, Smart TV Experience, Content Recognition, Interactive Services or similar privacy-related features.
On Roku TVs, go to Settings → Privacy → Smart TV Experience and disable Automatic Content Recognition.
On Samsung TVs, review the Viewing Information Services and privacy settings and opt out of ACR if you do not want Samsung collecting viewing history through that feature.
On LG TVs, review the Viewing Information Agreement and related privacy controls and withdraw consent or disable ACR where available. Menu names can vary by TV model and software version.
For Fire TV devices, Amazon provides separate controls for device usage data, third-party app usage data, interest-based advertising and, on supported smart TVs, over-the-air viewing data. These options can be found under Settings → Preferences → Privacy Settings.
Do Not Agree to Everything During Setup
One of the easiest mistakes is simply clicking “Accept” on every privacy screen to finish setting up the television.
Consumer Reports has previously documented how smart TV privacy options can be difficult to understand and how ACR controls can be buried in setup screens or broader agreements. Its testing found that many televisions provide some level of control, but the exact options differ substantially between brands and models.
Take a few minutes to read the privacy choices instead of automatically accepting them. You can often keep the features you actually need while turning off optional data collection.
Consider Keeping the TV Offline
For people who want stronger privacy, there is a more straightforward option: do not connect the television itself to the internet.
You can connect a separate streaming box, game console, laptop or other device through HDMI and use the television primarily as a display.
This can reduce the amount of viewing information available to the television manufacturer because the TV itself is no longer communicating online. However, it does not make the entire setup private. The streaming device and apps connected to the TV can still collect usage information under their own privacy policies.
What About the TV’s Microphone?
ACR should not be confused with voice recognition.
Some smart TVs and remote controls include microphones for voice commands. Those systems can involve separate data collection practices, so check the voice assistant and microphone permissions independently.
LG, for example, notes that some voice-related functions may require information about the current content source.
If you do not use voice commands, review the TV’s voice and microphone settings and disable features you do not need.
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Smart TV tracking is real, but the phrase “your TV is spying on you” can oversimplify what is actually happening.
Automatic Content Recognition can identify viewing activity, sometimes across built-in apps and external HDMI sources. Recent independent testing has demonstrated ACR-related traffic on modern televisions, while manufacturers such as Samsung, LG and Roku openly document their own content-recognition systems and privacy controls.
The best way to protect your privacy is to understand what your particular TV collects, turn off optional ACR and advertising features you do not need, review microphone and voice settings, and consider keeping the television offline when maximum privacy is more important than built-in smart features.
A smart TV does not have to become a privacy disaster. But just like a smartphone or computer, it deserves a proper privacy check before you trust it with everything you watch.
Sources
- RTINGS — Smart TV Tracking Research — independent testing of Samsung, LG, Sony, Roku, TCL, Hisense, Fire TV and other platforms, including ACR network-traffic testing and HDMI-device testing. RTINGS: Why Smart TVs Track What You Watch
- Samsung — Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) — Samsung explains what ACR collects, including viewing history, viewing duration, Smart TV identifiers and IP address, and explains how users can opt out. Samsung: Smart TV Automatic Content Recognition
- LG — Understanding Privacy on LG Smart TVs — LG’s September 2026 statement explains its ACR technology, supported HDMI sources, what it says ACR does not collect, and how users can disable it. LG: Understanding Privacy on LG Smart TVs
- Roku — Smart TV Experience and ACR — Roku’s documentation explains how Automatic Content Recognition identifies content from streaming, antenna and connected devices and provides instructions for disabling the feature. Roku: Using More Ways to Watch on Your Roku TV
- FTC — Vizio Smart TV Settlement — the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s documented 2017 case involving Vizio’s collection of viewing information from approximately 11 million televisions. FTC: Vizio to Pay $2.2 Million to Settle Charges It Collected Viewing Histories
- Consumer Reports — Smart TV Privacy Settings — background on consumers’ difficulties understanding and controlling smart-TV privacy and ACR settings. Consumer Reports: Consumers Struggle With Smart TV Privacy Settings
Is Your Smart TV Really Spying on You? The Truth About TV Tracking
