How to disable ACR on smart TVs to stop background viewing tracking

ZDNet explains how to turn off automatic content recognition (ACR) on smart TVs to stop the background tracking that feeds targeted advertising.

ACR runs like a constant, Shazam-like service that captures screenshots of what’s on your screen and matches them to a database, identifying programs, ads and other content. According to The Markup, ACR can capture up to 7,200 images per hour, and market research firm eMarketer estimated advertisers spent about $18.6 billion on smart TV ads in 2022. ZDNet’s piece notes that collected viewing data can be linked to personal information such as email addresses, IP addresses and even a physical street address.

The guide says disabling ACR usually requires navigating deep into a TV’s settings and may take many clicks. ZDNet provides step-by-step menus for major brands — including Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, Roku and TCL — showing which privacy or viewing options to toggle or disable to stop ACR and ad personalization.

ZDNet warns that turning off ACR can reduce data collection but may also limit some smart features, and that settings can sometimes revert after software updates. Editor’s note: the article was first published in 2024 and was last updated and fact-checked in January 2026.

Key Topics

Tech, Samsung, Lg, Sony, Roku, Tcl