ACR Technology: Samsung and LG Smart TVs use Automatic Content Recognition (ACR), similar to Shazam, to track what users watch.Tracks
External Devices: ACR operates even when Smart TVs are used as external displays via HDMI, potentially tracking content from gaming consoles or laptops.How ACR Works: It captures and matches the content displayed on the TV to a library to identify what’s being watched.
Different Behavior by Region: In the US, ACR is active during ad-supported streaming, but in the UK, it is turned off due to privacy laws.
Opt-Out Challenges: Opting out can stop ACR tracking, but it is often a difficult process for users, and login status doesn’t affect tracking.
Industry Integration: ACR has been integrated by companies like DirecTV and Viggle, and Samsung partnered with a content recognition company for its TVs. LG adopted ACR in 2013.
Privacy Concerns: Vizio was sued in 2017 for selling user data without consent, leading to stricter opt-out mechanisms.
