Smart TVs Track Viewing Habits Through Content Recognition Technology
publishers 19articles 53first reported 4 Oct, 05:00 UTCdeveloping since 4 Oct · 28 editions
Smart TVs can monitor what viewers watch through Automatic Content Recognition, or ACR, technology, according to Engadget. The system captures screen images as frequently as several times per second and compares snippets against known content, allowing it to identify programming shown through built-in apps, streaming services and connected devices such as game consoles.
Televisions may also collect technical information including IP addresses, Wi-Fi details and app-use patterns. Models with voice controls can capture brief audio samples for processing. Manufacturers say these practices are disclosed during setup and help improve the viewing experience, but critics argue that the controls are difficult to understand and disable.
The resulting viewing data can be processed into behavioral profiles and sold to data brokers, which combine it with information from websites, apps and loyalty programs for targeted advertising. The business is lucrative: Vizio’s Platform+ operation, which includes advertising, sponsorships and free ad-supported television, generated $598 million in 2023. Analysts cited by Engadget forecast that the ACR market will reach $23.37 billion by 2034.
Users can disable ACR through television privacy or viewing-data settings, though manufacturers use different names and menus. On Sony televisions, Engadget advises opening All Settings and turning off Samba Interactive TV. Disabling tracking may affect some smart-TV features.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 7 with the publisher's own text; 5 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 337 h after the record first saw the story; the editor revised it.
- Publishers
- 19
- Source articles
- 53
- Given to the writer
- 8, 7 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 5
- This version written
- 337 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- revised
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and changed it before publication. Struck words were in the draft; underlined words are its corrections.
WHAT IT FLAGGED editor revise: Delete the unsupported alternative that viewing data may be shared with data brokers. - "shared with or sold to data brokers": The source says processed viewing data may be sold to data brokers, but does not say it may be shared with them by other means.
THE DRAFT AND THE CHANGES
Smart TVs Track Viewing Habits Through Content Recognition Technology
Smart TVs can monitor what viewers watch through Automatic Content Recognition, or ACR, technology, according to Engadget. The system captures screen images as frequently as several times per second and compares snippets against known content, allowing it to identify programming shown through built-in apps, streaming services and connected devices such as game consoles.
Televisions may also collect technical information including IP addresses, Wi-Fi details and app-use patterns. Models with voice controls can capture brief audio samples for processing. Manufacturers say these practices are disclosed during setup and help improve the viewing experience, but critics argue that the controls are difficult to understand and disable.
The resulting viewing data can be processed into behavioral profiles and shared with or sold to data brokers, which combine it with information from websites, apps and loyalty programs for targeted advertising. The business is lucrative: Vizio’s Platform+ operation, which includes advertising, sponsorships and free ad-supported television, generated $598 million in 2023. Analysts cited by Engadget forecast that the ACR market will reach $23.37 billion by 2034.
Users can disable ACR through television privacy or viewing-data settings, though manufacturers use different names and menus. On Sony televisions, Engadget advises opening All Settings and turning off Samba Interactive TV. Disabling tracking may affect some smart-TV features.
Written by a language model from the sources above, then checked by a second model that may only cut, attribute or correct. How it works →