5 Smart TV Privacy Settings You Should Check Right Now

Automatic Content Recognition: ACR, or Automatic Content Recognition, identifies what you watch—even through cable boxes, consoles, antennas, or streaming apps—and can share that viewing history for recommendations or advertising. Turn it off in your TV’s privacy settings if you do not want this data collected.

Samsung Viewing Information Services: On Samsung TVs, open Settings, go to General & Privacy, then Terms & Privacy, and disable Viewing Information Services. Also turn off Interest-Based Advertising to limit personalized ads; Samsung says ACR and viewing-history collection can be opted out at any time.

LG Live Plus:LG labels its ACR feature Live Plus. Go to Settings, then General, System, and Additional Settings to switch it off. In the Advertisement section, enable Limit Ad Tracking, and decline the separate Interest-Based Cross Device Advertising agreement if you do not want targeted ads.

Roku Ad Personalization: On Roku TVs and players, visit Settings, Privacy, then Advertising to manage ad preferences. Under Smart TV Experience, deselect Automatic Content Recognition to stop Roku from collecting information about programs, ads, and channels viewed through connected devices.

Voice Assistant Access:Voice-enabled remotes and built-in assistants may process spoken commands through microphones. Review Settings, Privacy, and Voice to control which apps can access the microphone, and disable always-listening features if you prefer voice controls only when explicitly activated.

App Permissions and Accounts: Streaming apps can request access to your location, contacts, advertising ID, or account information. Periodically review each app’s permissions, sign out of unused services, and avoid linking unnecessary accounts so your TV collects only the data required for basic playback.

Network and Updates: Keep your TV’s firmware updated, use a strong Wi-Fi password, and place the TV on a guest network if possible. Disabling features you do not use—such as HDMI-CEC, remote diagnostics, or unused apps—can further reduce unnecessary data sharing and security exposure.

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