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    Safety & Privacy
    Intermediate
    2 min read 6 stepsApril 2, 2026Verified April 2026

    Smart TV Privacy: What Your TV Knows About You

    Understand and control how your smart TV collects and shares your viewing data.

    In this guide (6 steps):

    1. 1.What smart TVs track
    2. 2.Samsung TVs
    3. 3.LG TVs
    4. 4.Roku TVs
    5. 5.Fire TV
    6. 6.General tips
    1

    What smart TVs track

    ~15s
    Most smart TVs use ACR (Automatic Content Recognition) to identify everything you watch — not just streaming but cable, Blu-ray, and even game consoles. This data is sold to advertisers.
    2

    Samsung TVs

    ~15s
    Settings > General > Privacy > choose which options to disable. Turn off "Viewing Information Services" (ACR). Review "Interest-Based Advertising" and "Voice Recognition Services." Turn off what you don't need.
    3

    LG TVs

    ~15s
    Settings > All Settings > General > About This TV > User Agreements. Opt out of "Viewing Information," "Interest-Based Advertising," and "Voice Information." Restart the TV for changes to take effect.
    4

    Roku TVs

    ~15s
    Settings > Privacy > Advertising > Limit Ad Tracking. Settings > Privacy > Smart TV Experience > disable "Use Information from TV Inputs." This stops Roku from analyzing what you watch on cable or HDMI.
    5

    Fire TV

    ~15s
    Settings > Preferences > Privacy Settings. Turn off "Device Usage Data" and "Collect App Usage Data." Disable "Interest-Based Ads." These settings apply to Fire TV Sticks too.
    6

    General tips

    ~15s
    Decline or skip privacy agreements during setup (you can use the TV without them). Don't connect your TV to Wi-Fi if you only use external devices (Roku, Apple TV). Consider using a streaming device instead of built-in apps for better privacy controls.

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    Official Resources

    FTC Consumer ProtectionCISA — Cybersecurity TipsAARP Fraud Watch Network

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    Smart TV Privacy: What Your TV Knows About You — Step-by-Step Guide | TekSure