The Tool Desk
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To disable Automatic Content Recognition (ACR), open your TV’s privacy or smart-TV-experience settings and switch off the control named ACR, Viewing Data, Viewing Information Services, Live Plus, or Samba Interactive TV. The exact path depends on the brand, model, software version, and region. Roku, Samsung, LG, VIZIO, and selected Sony BRAVIA televisions use different labels and menus.
Turning off ACR limits that named viewing-recognition feature; it does not automatically disable every form of telemetry, app-data collection, diagnostics, voice processing, account activity, or advertising personalization. Some manufacturers also retain, delete, or handle previously collected viewing data differently, so check the section for your TV before assuming that opting out erases history.
What ACR does on a smart TV
Automatic Content Recognition analyzes what appears on a television screen and compares that information with a catalog or other matching service. Roku describes an encrypted fingerprint made from screen pixels; the service can recognize programming from streaming apps, an antenna, or connected devices. Samsung describes unique signatures that can support viewing history and may be associated with identifiers such as a Personalized Service ID and an IP address.
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ACR is also not the same thing as every other data process on the television. App providers can collect information through their own accounts, the operating system can send diagnostics, a voice assistant can process recordings, and an advertising menu can use account or device information independently of viewing recognition.
Before changing the setting
Record the exact model and software version
Write down the model number shown in Settings, Support, About, or on the television’s label. Menus can change after a firmware update, and a television sold under one brand may use a different operating system from another model with the same badge. Note your country or region as well, because consent screens and optional services can differ by market.
Know which control you are looking for
Search the privacy menus for ACR, Viewing Data, Viewing Information Services, Live Plus, Smart TV Experience, or the name of an interactive-TV service. A setup wizard may have asked for a separate agreement; declining that agreement and switching off a later toggle can be two different actions.
Understand the two separate privacy jobs
- Stop new collection: disable the named ACR or viewing-data feature.
- Deal with existing records: check the manufacturer’s retention or deletion statement and use any separate privacy request process if available.
Roku says information collected or used while ACR was enabled remains retained after the feature is disabled. VIZIO’s current Viewing Data supplement says turning Viewing Data off triggers deletion of historical Viewing Data logs from VIZIO’s database, while other Activity Data may remain. Those are vendor-specific policies, not a universal rule.
Quick comparison of the documented controls
| Platform | Setting label and route | What the vendor says about activation | Historical-data note | Separate controls to review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Smart TV | Privacy or Smart Hub notices; search for Viewing Information Services | Optional on certain models; enabled during setup or later in settings | Retention or deletion behavior is not stated in the cited support guidance | Smart TV identifiers, viewing-history notices, advertising and other privacy agreements |
| Roku TV | Settings > Privacy > Smart TV Experience, then Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) | Toggle can recognize streaming, antenna, and connected-device content | Data collected while enabled is retained after opt-out | Other Roku privacy and advertising choices |
| LG | Model-specific privacy settings; look for ACR or Live Plus | Optional feature and separate agreement in supported markets | Not stated in the cited corporate statement | Voice recognition, interest-based advertising, and optional agreements |
| VIZIO | Current products: All Settings > Privacy & Legal > Viewing Data; older products: All Settings > Admin & Privacy > Viewing Data | Uses the name Viewing Data for ACR-associated collection | Turning Viewing Data off deletes historical Viewing Data logs according to the current supplement; Activity Data can remain | Limited Ad Tracking and other Activity Data controls |
| Selected Sony BRAVIA models | System Preferences > Samba Interactive TV | Third-party service that must be opted into on supported models | Disabling stops collection of the TV’s content-viewing history; mobile apps are separate | Samba mobile-app settings and other Sony privacy controls |
How to disable ACR by brand
Samsung Smart TV: turn off Viewing Information Services
- Open Settings on the TV.
- Enter the privacy, Smart Hub, or terms-and-services area. Samsung’s support guidance does not promise one breadcrumb for every model.
- Find Viewing Information Services, or a similarly named viewing-information preference.
- Read the on-screen notice and switch the service off or withdraw the optional agreement.
- Return to the privacy page and check that the status is now disabled. If the item is absent, search the television’s settings and verify the model-specific support instructions.
Samsung says ACR is optional on certain Smart TVs and works only when enabled during setup or later in settings. Its disclosure says the feature may generate viewing history, a Smart TV identifier including a Personalized Service ID, and an IP address. Samsung also states: Please note that Samsung does not record or watch any of the content displayed on your Smart TV.
That sentence describes Samsung’s own implementation; it is not a finding about every television brand or every data stream.
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Roku TV: disable Automatic Content Recognition
- Press Home on the Roku remote.
- Open Settings.
- Select Privacy.
- Open Smart TV Experience.
- Clear the checkbox for Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) and press OK to confirm the change.
Roku’s support article, updated June 23, 2026, says ACR can identify programming from streaming services, an antenna, and connected devices. Its explanation describes an encrypted screen-pixel fingerprint matched against a catalog. Roku’s retention warning is explicit: If you enable this setting and then later disable it, the data that was collected or used while the setting was enabled will be retained by Roku.
Disabling the checkbox therefore stops the feature from operating going forward but does not by itself remove earlier ACR records.
LG televisions: look for ACR or Live Plus
- Open the TV’s Settings menu.
- Enter the privacy, terms, or smart-TV-services section. The exact breadcrumb varies by model, software version, and market.
- Look for ACR, Live Plus, or a viewing-information agreement.
- Switch the feature off, or decline or withdraw the optional agreement associated with it.
- Review the same page for separate controls covering voice recognition and interest-based advertising.
LG’s September 2026 statement treats ACR, voice recognition, and interest-based advertising as optional features that require separate agreements. In supported markets, declining those optional agreements does not block core smart-TV functionality. Depending on the market, accepted agreements, and services in use, LG says viewing information may be shared with LG Ad Solutions for audience segmentation and trend analysis, and, where separately consented, used for interest-based or cross-device advertising. The statement does not provide a single universal menu path or a general promise about deletion of earlier records.
VIZIO televisions: switch off Viewing Data
VIZIO has different paths for different product generations:
- On current VIZIO OS products, open All Settings > Privacy & Legal > Viewing Data.
- On older products, open All Settings > Admin & Privacy > Viewing Data.
- Turn Viewing Data off and confirm the choice if the television asks.
- For advertising, review the separate Limited Ad Tracking control. The FAQ lists Menu > Admin & Privacy > Advertising > Limited Ad Tracking for pre-2024 products and Menu > Privacy & Legal > Advertising > Limited Ad Tracking for products after 2024. Pre-2020 products can use another route.
VIZIO calls this ACR-associated collection Viewing Data. Its current supplement says switching Viewing Data off triggers deletion of historical Viewing Data logs from VIZIO’s database. The same documentation says the action does not limit all Activity Data collection, and ad personalization is a separate control. VIZIO says disabling Viewing Data does not affect product performance or online services.
Selected Sony BRAVIA models: disable Samba Interactive TV
- Open System Preferences.
- Select Samba Interactive TV.
- Choose the option to disable the service and confirm.
Sony documents this control only for certain BRAVIA models. Samba Interactive TV is a third-party service that must be opted into on those supported televisions. Sony says disabling it stops collection of the TV’s content-viewing history. If you also use Samba mobile applications, review those applications separately; changing the TV setting does not automatically change their data practices.
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What to do on other brands and operating systems
Do not apply a Roku, Samsung, LG, VIZIO, or Sony path to another television. Fire TV, TCL, Hisense, and other families can move controls between software versions, and one brand can ship models with different operating systems. A universal path has not been established for those families.
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- Open the manufacturer’s current support page for that model.
- Search the on-screen privacy menus for ACR, Viewing Data, Viewing Information, Live Plus, Smart TV Experience, or interactive TV.
- Read the consent text before switching anything off; an option may govern recommendations or advertising rather than screen recognition.
- After saving, reopen the menu to verify that the control remains off.
If a software update changes the labels, repeat the search rather than assuming the feature has been removed. A factory reset can also present the optional agreement again, so check privacy settings after setup is complete.
What disabling ACR does not stop
App and account data
Streaming applications can continue to record watch history, searches, profiles, and device information through their own accounts. Turning off the TV platform’s ACR does not sign you out of those services or erase their records.
Diagnostics and activity telemetry
Manufacturers may collect crash reports, performance information, network details, product-usage events, or other Activity Data under separate terms. VIZIO specifically says that turning Viewing Data off does not limit Activity Data collection.
Voice processing
A voice remote or built-in assistant can have its own recording, transcription, and retention settings. LG lists voice recognition separately from ACR; disabling one does not imply that the other is disabled.
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Advertising personalization
Ad-personalization controls can remain active after ACR is off. VIZIO’s Limited Ad Tracking setting is separate from Viewing Data, and LG describes interest-based and cross-device advertising as requiring separate consent in the circumstances it identifies.
Content seen by external services
An external streaming device, app, or account may have its own viewing-data policy. Changing the television’s ACR setting addresses the television platform’s named feature, not every service delivering content to the screen.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Historical records, deletion, and stronger privacy steps
Do not assume that opt-out equals erasure
Roku retains data collected while ACR was enabled, according to its support article. VIZIO describes deletion of historical Viewing Data logs when Viewing Data is turned off, but says other Activity Data can remain. Samsung and LG guidance cited here does not establish a universal deletion result. If old records matter, look for a separate privacy dashboard, account request form, or deletion instruction for your model and region.
Sign out of optional platform services
Signing out can reduce account-linked processing by the TV platform, but it does not prove that ACR is disabled. Use it as an additional privacy measure after changing the ACR or viewing-data control, not as a substitute for that control.
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Use a different playback platform carefully
An external streaming device can change which operating system handles apps and recommendations. It does not automatically switch off ACR in the television, and the TV may still process content through its own services if those remain enabled. The documented controls above are the reliable way to address the TV feature itself.
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Why ACR privacy controls attracted scrutiny
ACR has been the subject of enforcement history as well as current opt-out menus. A Federal Trade Commission-hosted research paper reports that VIZIO paid $2.2 million in 2019 to settle FTC charges related to tracking viewing data without users’ knowledge or consent. The amount is a historical settlement figure, not a current fine or a measure of today’s television market.
The paper states: Vizio paid $2.2 million to settle the charges by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that they were using ACR to track users’ viewing data without their knowledge or consent.
That history explains why manufacturers now expose consent and privacy controls, but it does not establish that every current TV collects data in the same way.
Troubleshooting when the option is missing or keeps returning
The menu item is not present
- Confirm the model number; a similarly named television may use another operating system.
- Check whether the feature is called Viewing Data, Live Plus, Viewing Information Services, Smart TV Experience, or an interactive-TV service instead of ACR.
- Install the current software update, then search the privacy menus again.
- Check the region selected during setup. Some optional services are market-specific.
The setting is disabled but recommendations or ads continue
Recommendations can be based on app accounts, search history, or separate device telemetry. Review app privacy settings, advertising controls, and account sessions individually. Continued advertising does not prove that ACR is still active.
The setting returns after a reset
A factory reset or a new setup wizard can present optional agreements again. Recheck the privacy menu after setup and save a photograph or note of the final status so you can verify it after future updates.
You want confirmation of deletion
Look for the vendor’s privacy-request or data-management process and ask specifically about viewing-history or ACR records. Do not rely on the phrase “ACR off” as proof that historical data was deleted; Roku and VIZIO document different outcomes.
Quick Recap
Final verification checklist
- The exact ACR, Viewing Data, Viewing Information Services, Live Plus, Smart TV Experience, or Samba control shows Off or Disabled.
- You have reviewed separate advertising, voice, diagnostics, and Activity Data settings.
- You know whether the manufacturer retains or deletes historical viewing records.
- Optional streaming accounts and mobile companion apps have been checked separately.
- You recorded the model, software version, region, and date in case a later update changes the menu.
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