Smart TV privacy: what is ACR and how do you turn it off?
Your smart TV takes a screenshot every few seconds of what you're watching and sends it to the manufacturer. We explain what ACR is, why it exists, and how to stop it.
Smart TV privacy: what is ACR and how do you turn it off?
Your smart TV is watching you back. Not occasionally — constantly. Every few seconds, the television takes a screenshot of whatever is on the screen, sends it to a server, and matches it against a database to determine what you’re watching. This is called ACR: Automatic Content Recognition.
What is ACR exactly?
ACR is software built into almost every modern smart TV. It does two things simultaneously:
Screen tracking: the TV captures screenshots of everything displayed — Netflix, YouTube, a Blu-ray player, a PlayStation, an HDMI stick. The source doesn’t matter. If it’s on screen, it’s captured.
Audio recognition: similar to how Shazam identifies a song, but permanently active. The TV listens to audio and matches it against a database of known content.
The combined data goes to the manufacturer and advertising companies. It gets cross-referenced with other devices on your Wi-Fi network — including your phone and laptop — building a profile that links your viewing habits to your browsing and purchasing behaviour.
ACR has existed since the 2010s, but the scale is now enormous. Vizio had over 18 million ACR-enabled TVs active in 2022. When Walmart acquired Vizio in 2024, it wasn’t for the hardware — it was for this advertising data network.
Which brands use it?
Almost all of them. The name varies per manufacturer:
| Brand | Name in settings |
|---|---|
| Samsung | ”Viewing Information Services” |
| LG | ”Live Plus” |
| Sony (Android TV/Google TV) | “Samba TV” or “Smart TV Experience” |
| Philips (Android TV) | “Smart TV Experience” |
| Hisense | ”Smart Interactivity” / “Viewing Information” |
| TCL (Roku TV) | “Smart TV Experience” |
| Vizio | ”Smart Interactivity” |
Common trait: the setting is never in an obvious place. You won’t find it in channel settings or streaming options — look in the Privacy or General menu.
How to turn it off
Samsung
- Settings → General & Privacy → Privacy
- Turn off Viewing Information Services
- Also turn off Interest-Based Advertising (separate setting)
LG
- Settings → General → Live Plus
- Disable
On newer LG models: Settings → Support → User Agreements → withdraw all consent.
Sony (Android TV / Google TV)
- Settings → Device Privacy or Apps
- Find Samba TV — disable it if present
- Settings → Privacy → Smart TV Experience → turn off
Philips (Android TV / Google TV)
Same as Sony — use the Android TV privacy menu. Go to Settings → Privacy → disable app and usage diagnostics.
Hisense
- Settings → System → Privacy
- Turn off Smart Interactivity or Viewing Information Services
Roku (including TCL Roku TV)
- Settings → Privacy → Smart TV Experience
- Turn off Use Info from TV Inputs
- Settings → Privacy → Advertising → enable Limit Ad Tracking
Going further: isolating the TV from your network
Disabling ACR in settings relies on the manufacturer honouring that setting. For stronger control, there are more effective options.
Option 1: disconnect the TV from the internet entirely
Don’t connect the TV to Wi-Fi at all. Use an external streaming device (Chromecast, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV) for apps instead. Tracking is then limited to that device, not the TV itself — and the streaming device is easier to monitor or replace.
Option 2: put the TV on a separate network (VLAN)
Connect the TV to a separate Wi-Fi network that has no access to your phone, laptop, or NAS. This prevents the TV from cross-referencing with other devices in your home.
This requires a router with VLAN support, such as the GL.iNet series. A simple guest network for the TV is a quick first step that most routers already support.
See also: Home network segmentation — explanation of VLANs, guest networks, and how to set them up.
Option 3: DNS blocking
ACR traffic goes to recognisable domains (e.g. samba.tv, acr.samsung.net). If you use DNS filtering like AdGuard Home or Pi-hole, you can block those domains without disconnecting the TV from the internet.
See also: Privacy DNS guide for setting up DNS filtering.
Microphone and camera
ACR is not the only concern. Many smart TVs also have:
- Built-in microphone for voice control (“Hey Google”, “Hi LG”)
- Built-in camera on higher-end models for video calling
Disable voice control if you don’t use it — the microphone stays active in the background listening for wake words. For a built-in camera: cover it with a sticker when not in use.
Summary
| Measure | Effort | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Disable ACR in settings | Low | Stops official data collection |
| Separate guest network for TV | Low | Blocks cross-referencing with other devices |
| DNS blocking ACR domains | Medium | Blocks trackers even if setting is ignored |
| Disconnect TV + use streaming stick | Medium | Maximises control over tracking |
| Full VLAN segmentation via router | Higher | Complete network isolation |
For most people: disable ACR in settings and put the TV on a separate guest network. That covers the majority of the problem.
See also:
- GL.iNet travel router setup — network segmentation at home
- Privacy DNS guide — DNS filtering for the whole network
- Threat profile: privacy-conscious user — what level of protection suits your situation?