Your smart TV is taking screenshots of your screen every 15 seconds.
Not a guess. Not a theory.
A peer-reviewed study by researchers at UC Davis, UCL, and UC3M tested it.
Samsung TVs: every minute.
LG TVs: every 15 seconds.
Even when you're just using it as a monitor.
Here's how to turn it off for every brand:
Not a guess. Not a theory.
A peer-reviewed study by researchers at UC Davis, UCL, and UC3M tested it.
Samsung TVs: every minute.
LG TVs: every 15 seconds.
Even when you're just using it as a monitor.
Here's how to turn it off for every brand:
First, what's actually happening.
Your TV has a hidden feature called ACR- Automatic Content Recognition.
Think of it like Shazam, but for your screen.
It takes tiny snapshots of whatever you're watching. Sends a fingerprint to the company's servers. They match it to figure out exactly what's on your screen.
Every show. Every channel. Every game. Second by second.
Your TV has a hidden feature called ACR- Automatic Content Recognition.
Think of it like Shazam, but for your screen.
It takes tiny snapshots of whatever you're watching. Sends a fingerprint to the company's servers. They match it to figure out exactly what's on your screen.
Every show. Every channel. Every game. Second by second.
This isn't speculation.
Researchers at UC Davis, University College London, and Universidad Carlos III de Madrid tested Samsung and LG TVs.
Published in the 2024 ACM Internet Measurement Conference.
They captured all the network traffic leaving these TVs.
Samsung sent data to its ACR servers every minute.
LG sent data every 15 seconds.
Paper: "Watching TV with the Second-Party: A First Look at Automatic Content Recognition Tracking in Smart TVs"
Researchers at UC Davis, University College London, and Universidad Carlos III de Madrid tested Samsung and LG TVs.
Published in the 2024 ACM Internet Measurement Conference.
They captured all the network traffic leaving these TVs.
Samsung sent data to its ACR servers every minute.
LG sent data every 15 seconds.
Paper: "Watching TV with the Second-Party: A First Look at Automatic Content Recognition Tracking in Smart TVs"
Here's the part that shocked the researchers.
ACR doesn't just track what you watch on the TV's own apps.
It tracks whatever is on screen. Your laptop. Your PlayStation. Your cable box. Anything plugged in through HDMI.
Direct quote from the paper:
"ACR network traffic exists when watching linear TV and when using smart TV as an external display using HDMI."
You thought your TV was just a screen. It's not.
ACR doesn't just track what you watch on the TV's own apps.
It tracks whatever is on screen. Your laptop. Your PlayStation. Your cable box. Anything plugged in through HDMI.
Direct quote from the paper:
"ACR network traffic exists when watching linear TV and when using smart TV as an external display using HDMI."
You thought your TV was just a screen. It's not.
ACR is turned ON by default during setup.
You probably agreed to it. Buried inside a wall of terms and conditions on day one.
Here's what Dr. Anna Maria Mandalari from UCL said:
"The average user is unlikely to know what ACR is or that they can opt out."
The opt-in takes one click. The opt-out takes 6.
You probably agreed to it. Buried inside a wall of terms and conditions on day one.
Here's what Dr. Anna Maria Mandalari from UCL said:
"The average user is unlikely to know what ACR is or that they can opt out."
The opt-in takes one click. The opt-out takes 6.
Why do they do this?
Money.
TV companies don't just sell you a TV anymore. They sell your data.
Vizio's ad and data revenue hit $598 million in 2023. More than their hardware revenue. They make more money watching you than selling you the TV.
LG's ad business made nearly $700 million in 2024.
Source: Vizio's own earnings report. LG's official annual results.
Money.
TV companies don't just sell you a TV anymore. They sell your data.
Vizio's ad and data revenue hit $598 million in 2023. More than their hardware revenue. They make more money watching you than selling you the TV.
LG's ad business made nearly $700 million in 2024.
Source: Vizio's own earnings report. LG's official annual results.
Here's what they collect:
→ Every show you watch, second by second
→ Every channel you switch to
→ Every ad you see (and how long you watch it)
→ Your IP address
→ Your device ID
→ Nearby Wi-Fi networks
The FTC found that Vizio went further. They matched your IP address to data brokers. Added your age, gender, income, and marital status.
Then sold the full profile to advertisers.
Source: FTC complaint against Vizio, 2017.
→ Every show you watch, second by second
→ Every channel you switch to
→ Every ad you see (and how long you watch it)
→ Your IP address
→ Your device ID
→ Nearby Wi-Fi networks
The FTC found that Vizio went further. They matched your IP address to data brokers. Added your age, gender, income, and marital status.
Then sold the full profile to advertisers.
Source: FTC complaint against Vizio, 2017.
The government got involved.
In 2017, the FTC fined Vizio $2.2 million for tracking 11 million TVs without consent. Vizio had installed the tracking software on TVs people already owned. Through a software update.
A separate class action settlement added $17 million.
In December 2025, the Texas Attorney General sued Samsung, LG, Sony, Hisense, and TCL for the exact same thing.
A court blocked Hisense from collecting ANY data within 48 hours.
Samsung settled in February 2026.
In 2017, the FTC fined Vizio $2.2 million for tracking 11 million TVs without consent. Vizio had installed the tracking software on TVs people already owned. Through a software update.
A separate class action settlement added $17 million.
In December 2025, the Texas Attorney General sued Samsung, LG, Sony, Hisense, and TCL for the exact same thing.
A court blocked Hisense from collecting ANY data within 48 hours.
Samsung settled in February 2026.
This affects almost everyone.
82% of US TV households own a smart TV. The average home has two.
Samsung alone has 73 million smart TVs in US homes. Confirmed in the Texas lawsuit.
If you own a TV made in the last 5 years, it's probably doing this right now.
Unless you've turned it off.
Here's how. Brand by brand.
82% of US TV households own a smart TV. The average home has two.
Samsung alone has 73 million smart TVs in US homes. Confirmed in the Texas lawsuit.
If you own a TV made in the last 5 years, it's probably doing this right now.
Unless you've turned it off.
Here's how. Brand by brand.
1. Samsung — Turn off "Viewing Information Services"
Menu → Settings → All Settings → General & Privacy → Terms & Privacy
Uncheck "Viewing Information Services"
Samsung doesn't call it "tracking." They call it "Viewing Information Services."
That's intentional.
Menu → Settings → All Settings → General & Privacy → Terms & Privacy
Uncheck "Viewing Information Services"
Samsung doesn't call it "tracking." They call it "Viewing Information Services."
That's intentional.
2. LG — Turn off "Live Plus"
Settings → General → System → Additional Settings
Toggle OFF "Live Plus"
Also go to:
Settings → Support → Privacy & Terms → User Agreements
Turn off "Viewing Information"
Warning: Multiple users report LG turns Live Plus back on after software updates. Check this setting every few months.
Settings → General → System → Additional Settings
Toggle OFF "Live Plus"
Also go to:
Settings → Support → Privacy & Terms → User Agreements
Turn off "Viewing Information"
Warning: Multiple users report LG turns Live Plus back on after software updates. Check this setting every few months.
3. Roku TVs (TCL, Hisense, Philips, Insignia, Onn, Sharp, and others)
Settings → Privacy → Smart TV Experience
Uncheck "Use Info from TV Inputs"
Also:
Settings → Privacy → Advertising → Uncheck "Personalize Ads"
If your TV brand runs Roku software, this is your path.
Settings → Privacy → Smart TV Experience
Uncheck "Use Info from TV Inputs"
Also:
Settings → Privacy → Advertising → Uncheck "Personalize Ads"
If your TV brand runs Roku software, this is your path.
4. Sony — Turn off "Samba Interactive TV"
Settings → All Settings → Samba Interactive TV → Toggle OFF
Sony uses a third-party company called Samba TV to run ACR.
Someone asked Sony in writing to confirm this stops all tracking. Sony refused to give a straight answer.
Settings → All Settings → Samba Interactive TV → Toggle OFF
Sony uses a third-party company called Samba TV to run ACR.
Someone asked Sony in writing to confirm this stops all tracking. Sony refused to give a straight answer.
5. Vizio — Turn off "Viewing Data"
Menu → Settings → All Settings → Admin & Privacy → Viewing Data → Turn OFF
Vizio used to call this "Smart Interactivity." They renamed it. Same tracking. Different label.
The FTC forced them to ask for consent after 2017. But the setting still exists. Make sure it's off.
Menu → Settings → All Settings → Admin & Privacy → Viewing Data → Turn OFF
Vizio used to call this "Smart Interactivity." They renamed it. Same tracking. Different label.
The FTC forced them to ask for consent after 2017. But the setting still exists. Make sure it's off.
6. Amazon Fire TV (Fire Stick, Fire TV Cube, Insignia Fire TV, Toshiba Fire TV)
Settings → Preferences → Privacy Settings
Turn OFF all three:
→ Device Usage Data
→ Collect App and Over-the-Air Usage
→ Interest-Based Ads
Warning: These settings have been reported to turn themselves back on after Fire TV updates. Re-check after every update.
Settings → Preferences → Privacy Settings
Turn OFF all three:
→ Device Usage Data
→ Collect App and Over-the-Air Usage
→ Interest-Based Ads
Warning: These settings have been reported to turn themselves back on after Fire TV updates. Re-check after every update.
One thing every TV brand has in common:
Software updates can reset your privacy settings.
This has been reported on LG, Amazon Fire TV, and others.
One Sony user reported that Sony made agreeing to data collection a condition for getting a firmware update.
Every time your TV updates, go back and check. Takes 2 minutes.
Software updates can reset your privacy settings.
This has been reported on LG, Amazon Fire TV, and others.
One Sony user reported that Sony made agreeing to data collection a condition for getting a firmware update.
Every time your TV updates, go back and check. Takes 2 minutes.
The safest option?
Disconnect your TV from Wi-Fi entirely.
Use an Apple TV, Chromecast, or Roku stick for streaming instead. Run all your apps from the external device.
But here's the catch:
The NY Times found that some TVs save your data locally. Then upload it all the next time you reconnect.
So: disable ACR in settings AND disconnect from Wi-Fi. Both steps. Not just one.
Disconnect your TV from Wi-Fi entirely.
Use an Apple TV, Chromecast, or Roku stick for streaming instead. Run all your apps from the external device.
But here's the catch:
The NY Times found that some TVs save your data locally. Then upload it all the next time you reconnect.
So: disable ACR in settings AND disconnect from Wi-Fi. Both steps. Not just one.
That's 6 brands. 15 minutes. No apps to install.
82% of homes have a smart TV. Almost none of them have turned this off.
The FBI warned about this in 2019.
The FTC fined companies for this in 2017.
Texas sued 5 companies for this in 2025.
Researchers proved it in a peer-reviewed study in 2024.
None of this is hidden. It's just buried.
Now you know where to find it.
Bookmark this. Send it to someone who owns a TV.-
82% of homes have a smart TV. Almost none of them have turned this off.
The FBI warned about this in 2019.
The FTC fined companies for this in 2017.
Texas sued 5 companies for this in 2025.
Researchers proved it in a peer-reviewed study in 2024.
None of this is hidden. It's just buried.
Now you know where to find it.
Bookmark this. Send it to someone who owns a TV.-
SOURCES
-Study: "Watching TV with the Second-Party: A First Look at Automatic Content Recognition Tracking in Smart TVs" — UC Davis, UCL, UC3M (ACM IMC 2024)
arxiv.org/abs/2409.06203
-UCL press release:
ucl.ac.uk/news/2024/nov/…
-FTC v. Vizio (2017):
ftc.gov/news-events/ne…
-Texas AG lawsuits (December 2025):
texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/…
-Samsung settlement (February 2026):
texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/…
-Vizio earnings (platform revenue $598M):
businesswire.com/news/home/2024…
-LG ad revenue (~$700M):
lg.com/global/newsroo…
-Consumer Reports disable guide:
consumerreports.org/electronics/pr…
-73 million Samsung TVs in US:
texasscorecard.com/state/texas-se…
FBI smart TV warning (2019):
cnn.com/2019/12/02/pol…
-Study: "Watching TV with the Second-Party: A First Look at Automatic Content Recognition Tracking in Smart TVs" — UC Davis, UCL, UC3M (ACM IMC 2024)
arxiv.org/abs/2409.06203
-UCL press release:
ucl.ac.uk/news/2024/nov/…
-FTC v. Vizio (2017):
ftc.gov/news-events/ne…
-Texas AG lawsuits (December 2025):
texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/…
-Samsung settlement (February 2026):
texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/…
-Vizio earnings (platform revenue $598M):
businesswire.com/news/home/2024…
-LG ad revenue (~$700M):
lg.com/global/newsroo…
-Consumer Reports disable guide:
consumerreports.org/electronics/pr…
-73 million Samsung TVs in US:
texasscorecard.com/state/texas-se…
FBI smart TV warning (2019):
cnn.com/2019/12/02/pol…
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