Kerry Wan/ZDNETDid you know that whenever you turn on yoursmart TV, you invite an unseen guest to watch it with you? These days, most popular TV models utilize automatic content recognition (ACR), a form of ad surveillance technology that gathers information about everything you watch and transmits it to a centralized database. Manufacturers then use your data to identify your viewing preferences, enabling them to deliver highly targeted ads.Also: I changed these 6 TV settings to drastically speed up its performance (and why they work)What's the incentive behind this invasive technology? According to market research firm eMarketer, in 2022, advertisers spent an estimated $18.6 billion on smart TV ads, and those numbers are only going up.To understand how ACR works, imagine a constant, real-time Shazam-like service running in the background while your TV is on. It identifies content displayed on your screen, including programs from cable TV boxes, streaming services, or gaming consoles. ACR does this by capturing continuous screenshots and cross-referencing them with a vast database of media content and advertisements.According to The Markup, ACR can capture and identify up to 7,200 images per hour, or approximately two images every second. This extensive tracking offers money-making insights for marketers and content distributors because it can reveal connections between viewers' personal information and their preferred content. By "personal information," I mean email addresses, IP addresses -- and even your physical street address. Also:The fastest VPNs of 2025: Great speeds and secure connections anywhereBy understanding what viewers watch and engage with, marketers can make decisions on content recommendations to create bespoke advertising placements. They can also track advertisements that lead to purchases.But the most disturbing part is the potential for exploitation. In the wrong hands, sensitive information gathered through ACR could be exploited or misused, which may result in security risks or, at worst, identity theft.Because ACR operates clandestinely in the background, many of us aren't even aware of its active presence each time we're enjoying our favorite shows. Opting out of using ACR is complex and sometimes challenging. Navigating through your TV settings might take several dozen clicks to protect your privacy better.If you, like me, perceive this feature to be intrusive or unsettling, there's a way to dismiss this data collection feature on your smart TV. It might take some patience, but below is a How-To list for five major brands demonstrating how to turn off ACR.How to turn off ACR on a smart TV For Samsung TVs Press theHomebutton on your remote control.Navigate to the left to access the sidebar menu.In the sidebar menu, choose thePrivacy Choicesoption.Select theTerms & Conditions, Privacy Policyoption.Ensure that the checkbox forViewing Information Servicesis unchecked. This will turn off ACR and any associated ad targeting.Select theOKoption at the bottom of the screen to confirm your changes. Show more Also:Move over, Roku? TiVo is joining the smart TV party in the US For an LG TV Press theHomebutton on your remote control to access the home screen.Press theSettingsbutton on your remote.In the settings side menu, select theSettingsoption.Navigate to and select theGeneraloption.In the General menu, chooseSystem.SelectAdditional Settings.In Additional Settings, locate and toggle off theLive Plusoption.LG further allows you to limit ad tracking, which can be found in Additional Settings.In the Additional Settings menu, selectAdvertisement.Toggle on theLimit AD Trackingoption.You can also turn off home promotions and content recommendations:In the Additional Settings menu, selectHome Settings.Uncheck theHome Promotionoption.Uncheck theContent Recommendationoption. Show more For a Sony TV Press theHomebutton on your remote control to access the main menu.Navigate to and selectSettings.ChooseInitial Setup.Scroll down and selectSamba Interactive TV.SelectDisableto turn off Samba TV, which is Sony's ACR technology.Sony also allows for enhanced privacy by disabling ad personalization:Go toSettings.SelectAbout.ChooseAds.Turn offAds Personalization.As an extra step, you can entirely disable the Samba Services Manager, which is embedded in the firmware of certain Sony Bravia TVs as a third-party interactive app.Go toSettings.SelectApps.SelectSamba Services Manager.ChooseClear Cache.SelectForce Stop.Finally, selectDisable.If your Sony TV uses Android TV, you should also turn off data collection for Chromecast:Open the Google Home app on your smartphone.Tap the Menu icon.Select your TV from the list of devices.Tap the three dots in the upper right corner.ChooseSettings.Turn offSend Chromecast device usage data and crash reports. Show more For a Hisense TV Press theHomebutton on your remote control to access the main menu.Navigate to and selectSettings.ChooseSystem.SelectPrivacy.Look for an option calledSmart TV Experience,Viewing Information Services, or something similar.Toggle this option off to disable ACR.To disable personalized ads and opt out of content recommendations:In the Privacy menu, look for an option likeAd TrackingorInterest-Based Ads.Turn this option off.Look for options related to content recommendations or personalized content.Disable these features if you don't want the TV to suggest content based on your viewing habits. Show more For a TCL TV (and other Roku-powered TVs) Press theHomebutton on your TCL TV remote control.Navigate to and selectSettingsin the main menu.Scroll down and select thePrivacyoption.Look forSmart TV Experienceand select it.Uncheck or toggle off the option labeledUse Info from TV Inputs.For extra privacy, TCL TVs offer a few more options, all of which can be found in the Privacy menu:SelectAdvertising.ChooseLimit ad tracking.Again, select Advertising.UncheckPersonalized ads.Now, still in the Privacy menu, select Microphone.AdjustChannel Microphone AccessandChannel Permissionsas desired. Show more Remember that while these steps will significantly reduce data collection, they may also limit some smart features of your TV. Also, it's a good idea to periodically check these settings to ensure they remain as you've set them. Especially after software updates, your revised settings may sometimes revert to their default state.Also: Roku TV is expanding to another major brand - and its OLED model looks promisingThe driving force behind targeted advertisements on smart TVs is ACR technology, and its inclusion speaks volumes about manufacturers' focus on monetizing user data rather than prioritizing consumer interests.For most of us, ACR offers few tangible benefits, while the real-time sharing of our viewing habits and preferences exposes us to potential privacy risks. By disabling ACR, you can help keep your data to yourself, and enjoy viewing with some peace of mind.Featured