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To reduce viewing-data collection, open your TV’s privacy settings and look for ACR, Viewing Data, Viewing Information Services, Live Plus, or Smart TV Experience. The exact label and menu path depend on the TV model, region, and software version. Verified steps for Roku and VIZIO are below; LG confirms the control exists but does not publish one menu sequence for every set.
What ACR does
Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) lets a TV platform identify content being watched. Roku says its ACR creates an encrypted fingerprint from sampled screen pixels and matches it against a catalog. Its explanation is specific to Roku; it should not be assumed that every TV brand uses the same method.
Depending on the platform, market, agreements, and your choices, viewing information may support features, recommendations, audience measurement, or advertising. ACR is one type of data collection, not a description of everything a TV or its apps may collect.
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Turn off the viewing-data control on your TV
Use the instructions for your platform, then confirm that the relevant switch or checkbox is off. Menu names can change across models, regions, and software versions.
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- 720p resolution - View your favorite movies, shows and games in high definition.
- Alexa voice control - The Alexa Voice Remote lets you easily control your entertainment, search across apps, switch inputs, and more using just your voice. Press and hold the voice button and ask Alexa to easily find, launch, and control content, and even switch to cable.
- Access thousands of shows with Fire TV - Watch over 1.5 million streaming movies and TV episodes with access to thousands of channels, apps and Alexa skills, including Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, YouTube, Apple TV+, Disney+, ESPN+, Sling TV, Paramount+, and other services right from this TV.*
- DTS Virtual-X Sound - An immersive sound format creates a three-dimensional sound experience with your TV’s speakers.
- Supports HDMI ARC - Sends audio directly from the HDMI jack to a compatible soundbar or AV receiver, removing the need for an extra cable.
Roku TV or Roku Smart TV Experience
- Open Settings > Privacy > Smart TV Experience.
- Highlight Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) and press OK to disable it.
Roku’s support instructions, last updated June 23, 2026, say ACR is off by default before a user selects it. If it was enabled, information collected while it was on remains retained after it is disabled. Roku says its catalog matching can recognize content from streaming, antenna, or connected devices; personal videos that do not match its catalog are not identified by that matching process. See Roku’s Smart TV Experience and ACR instructions.
LG smart TVs
LG’s September 2026 privacy statement says users can withdraw from agreements and turn off ACR in TV settings, but it does not establish a universal menu path. Check your set’s privacy settings for ACR or a viewing-information control rather than relying on directions for a different model or webOS version. LG also says processing and sharing depend on the feature, agreements accepted, market, and user choices. See LG’s privacy statement.
Rank #2
- Bright, clear picture: Bring entertainment to life on our 40" flat screen TV with bright 1080p Full HD—perfect for bedrooms, kitchens, and beyond. Roku Smart Picture cleans up incoming TV signals, optimizes them, and chooses the right picture mode.
- Seamless streaming: With fast Wi-Fi and apps that launch in a snap, Roku Select Series TVs get you to your entertainment quickly. You get excellent picture quality, clear sound, automatic updates, and more. It’s simple to use. Hard to outgrow.
- TV, simplified: With setup that only takes minutes, a simple-to-navigate Home Screen, and an uncluttered remote control that does all you need—Roku makes it easier to watch the TV you love.
- A world of free entertainment: Enjoy a huge selection of free live TV, news, sports, movies, shows, and much more—all just a click away.
- More streaming, less searching: With personalized picks right on your Home Screen, quick access to the sports and entertainment you watch most, and fast and easy search in one place—the days of endless scrolling are over.
VIZIO OS and SmartCast TVs
- On newer products, open All Settings > Privacy & Legal > Viewing Data.
- On older products, look under All Settings > Admin & Privacy > Viewing Data.
- Turn off the Viewing Data control.
VIZIO says turning off Viewing Data does not affect performance or online services. Its privacy supplement also distinguishes Viewing Data from Activity Data, which may still be collected. See the VIZIO privacy supplement.
What turning off ACR does—and does not—change
Disabling ACR or a similarly named Viewing Data control reduces a specific kind of viewing-data collection. It does not promise that all tracking, data collection, or advertising will stop, and it does not necessarily erase information gathered before you opted out.
Rank #3
- 1080p resolution - View your favorite movies, shows and games in full high definition.
- Alexa voice control - The Alexa Voice Remote lets you easily control your entertainment, search across apps, switch inputs, and more using just your voice. Press and hold the voice button and ask Alexa to easily find, launch, and control content, and even switch to cable.
- Access thousands of shows with Fire TV - Watch over 1.5 million streaming movies and TV episodes with access to thousands of channels, apps and Alexa skills, including Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, YouTube, Apple TV+, Disney+, ESPN+, Sling TV, Paramount+, and other services right from this TV.*
- DTS Virtual-X Sound - An immersive sound format creates a three-dimensional sound experience with your TV’s speakers.
- Supports HDMI ARC - Sends audio directly from the HDMI jack to a compatible soundbar or AV receiver, removing the need for an extra cable.
On VIZIO, ad personalization is a separate consideration: the company describes a Limited Ad Tracking setting for limiting platform ad personalization. That setting does not control ads served by third-party apps, which may tailor advertising through their own relationship with you. VIZIO’s FAQ explains the separate setting and its scope: VIZIO’s Viewing Data FAQ.
Other information may still be collected under a platform’s privacy policy. An FTC-hosted research paper notes that, even with ACR turned off, a basic privacy policy may permit collection of other information, such as location or app choices. The FTC workshop material also reported historically that controls to limit viewing-data collection could be hard to find; that is context, not a current menu guide. See the FTC-hosted research paper and FTC Smart TV workshop materials.
Rank #4
- Bright, clear picture: Bring entertainment to life on our 24" flat screen TV with bright 720p HD—perfect for bedrooms, kitchens, and beyond. Roku Smart Picture cleans up incoming TV signals, optimizes them, and chooses the right picture mode.
- Seamless streaming: With fast Wi-Fi and apps that launch in a snap, Roku Select Series TVs get you to your entertainment quickly. You get excellent picture quality, clear sound, automatic updates, and more. It’s simple to use. Hard to outgrow.
- TV, simplified: With setup that only takes minutes, a simple-to-navigate Home Screen, and an uncluttered remote control that does all you need—Roku makes it easier to watch the TV you love.
- A world of free entertainment: Enjoy a huge selection of free live TV, news, sports, movies, shows, and much more—all just a click away.
- More streaming, less searching: With personalized picks right on your Home Screen, quick access to the sports and entertainment you watch most, and fast and easy search in one place—the days of endless scrolling are over.
If your TV does not match these steps
Search the set’s privacy menu for the labels listed above, and use the support page or manual for your exact model and software version to verify the control. Current verified instructions here do not establish menu paths for Samsung, Fire TV, or Google TV, so do not assume that a path from another platform applies.
Quick Recap
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- Smart Home: Your smart home hub. Pair Fire TV with compatible smart home devices to see live camera feeds, use AirPlay, control your lighting and thermostat, and more.
- Free Content: Stream for free. Access over 1 million free movies and TV episodes from popular ad-supported streaming apps like Fire TV Channels, Tubi, and Pluto TV. Subscriptions may be required. Feature and content availability may vary.
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