Adam Breeden/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Smart TVs track viewing habits with ACR tech. Collected data fuels billions in targeted ads. Turning off ACR protects privacy but takes effort. Most modern smart TVs come with a silent partner: Automatic Content Recognition (ACR). This ad-tracking tech monitors everything on your screen in real-time, feeding your viewing history into a database to build a precise profile of your habits. It’s the engine behind those eerily specific ads — and it’s likely running the moment you press power. Also: Own a Samsung TV? I changed these 6 settings to make the system run like new again 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 these numbers are expected to continue rising. How does ACR work? 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 …

Adam Breeden/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Smart TVs track viewing habits with ACR tech. Collected data fuels billions in targeted ads. Turning off ACR protects privacy but takes effort. Did you know that whenever you turn on your smart TV, you invite an unseen guest to watch it with you? These days, most mainstream TVs use automatic content recognition (ACR), a type of ad-tracking technology that collects data on everything you watch and sends it to a central database. Manufacturers then use this information to understand your viewing habits and deliver highly targeted ads. Also: Own a Samsung TV? I changed these 6 settings to make the system run like new again 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 these numbers are expected to continue rising. 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 …