What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
To limit a smart TV’s recognition of what you watch, turn off its viewing-recognition feature in the TV’s privacy settings. The control is not one universal setting: Samsung calls it Viewing Information Services, while supported Sony BRAVIA models may offer Samba Interactive TV. LG’s choices depend on the TV, market and applicable agreements. Check the exact model and software, because menu paths and availability vary.
Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) identifies content displayed on a TV. That is a privacy concern worth reviewing, but it is not the same as a camera watching the room. Samsung says its ACR does not record or watch the content displayed on the TV.
What ACR does—and what turning it off means
ACR identifies content shown on a screen, potentially including programs viewed through an external source. Depending on the service and the choices made on the TV, that information can support recommendations, audience measurement or advertising. It does not mean a person is watching the screen live.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Samsung says that when ACR is enabled, it can generate unique signatures and collect viewing history, such as programs watched and viewing times, along with a personalized service identifier and IP address. LG describes processing that can include content-identification fingerprints and device, content-source, network and consent-setting information. LG also says processing and potential sharing depend on features, agreements, market and user choices.
#1 Best Overall
- HDR: Enjoy great contrast in all your content. High Dynamic Range (HDR) expands the contrast between the lightest and darkest parts of a scene, so you can enjoy a wide spectrum of colors and visual details.
- OBJECT TRACKING SOUND LITE: Feel like you're part of the scene with audio that follows the action on screen. Featuring a virtual top channel, every sound is precisely placed in space, placing you in the heart of the scene.
- SAMSUNG KNOX SECURITY: Your TV experiences are secured. Samsung Knox Security defends against harmful apps and phishing sites while keeping sensitive data, such as PINs and passwords, secure. It also safeguards your IoT devices connected to your TV.
- ONE UI TIZEN: Stream your favorite movies and shows and access your favorite apps and games on an intuitive smart TV platform, powered by Samsung Tizen OS.
- ENDLESS CONTENT: Access 2,700+ free channels including 400+ Samsung TV Plus premium channels with just your WiFiconnection. Enjoy national and local news, sports, movies, kids’ shows and more -live and on demand. With content frequently added, there’s always something new to discover.
Disabling ACR limits the particular recognition feature controlled by that setting; it is not a blanket switch for every privacy-related function on the TV. Installed apps and other services may have separate data practices and controls.
How to turn off viewing recognition by TV brand
Before changing settings, note the TV’s model, software or operating-system generation, and country. The same brand can use different menus across models and markets. If a setting is missing, consult the manual or support information for the exact model rather than assuming the feature is unavailable or enabled.
Rank #2
- CRYSTAL PROCESSOR: Powerful processor enhances colors and sharpens details for a vibrant 4K viewing experience. Experience every shade of color as it was meant to be seen in dazzling 4K. Plus, make your movies, TV shows, games and sports look even better with powerful 4K upscaling.
- ENDLESS FREE CONTENT: Watch 2,700+ free streaming options, including 750+ subscription-free channels on Samsung TV Plus. Enjoy news, sports, movies, kids' shows and reality TV — all without a subscription. Discover endless entertainment with new content added regularly, tailored to your mood and interests.*
- MOTION XCELERATOR: Experience clear picture and smooth motion in games and sports. Enjoy smooth motion and clear visuals with technology that estimates and adjusts frame transitions in real time. Whether gaming or watching sports, enjoy up to 4K 60Hz performance that brings every play, move and scene to life with realistic clarity and motion.
- COLOR BOOSTER: Supercharge your color. From fiery reds to sparkling blues, make every color come to life with intensity. Color Booster transforms your content into a visual masterpiece.
- 4K UPSCALING: Upgrades what you watch to crisp 4K clarity. Upgrade your favorite shows, movies and more. Experience incredible details and clarity in every frame, even from lower-quality sources, with advanced upscaling technology.
Samsung: review Viewing Information Services
- Open the TV’s privacy settings and look for Viewing Information Services.
- Review the setting and opt out or disable it if you do not want the associated viewing-recognition service.
- If the label or control is not present, check the instructions for your specific model and software version; Samsung does not give one universal menu path for every TV.
Samsung’s US support guidance says ACR is optional and runs only if the user opted in to Viewing Information Services during setup or later enabled it in settings. The company says users can opt out in settings, so do not assume every Samsung TV has this service turned on by default.
LG: check privacy settings and agreements
- Open the TV’s privacy settings and review the choices related to ACR or content recognition.
- Review the applicable user agreements as well as the settings; the relevant choices and data processing can depend on the features and agreements in use.
- Disable the feature if you do not want it, and consult model-specific LG support if you cannot find the control.
LG says users can choose whether to use ACR and can disable it through TV settings. Its US statement does not provide a single menu route for all models, and says processing and potential sharing vary by feature, agreement, market and user choice.
Rank #3
- CRYSTAL PROCESSOR: Powerful processor enhances colors and sharpens details for a vibrant 4K viewing experience. Experience every shade of color as it was meant to be seen in dazzling 4K. Plus, make your movies, TV shows, games and sports look even better with powerful 4K upscaling.
- ENDLESS FREE CONTENT: Watch 2,700+ free streaming options, including 750+ subscription-free channels on Samsung TV Plus. Enjoy news, sports, movies, kids' shows and reality TV — all without a subscription. Discover endless entertainment with new content added regularly, tailored to your mood and interests.*
- MOTION XCELERATOR: Experience clear picture and smooth motion in games and sports. Enjoy smooth motion and clear visuals with technology that estimates and adjusts frame transitions in real time. Whether gaming or watching sports, enjoy up to 4K 60Hz performance that brings every play, move and scene to life with realistic clarity and motion.
- COLOR BOOSTER: Supercharge your color. From fiery reds to sparkling blues, make every color come to life with intensity. Color Booster transforms your content into a visual masterpiece.
- 4K UPSCALING: Upgrades what you watch to crisp 4K clarity. Upgrade your favorite shows, movies and more. Experience incredible details and clarity in every frame, even from lower-quality sources, with advanced upscaling technology.
Sony BRAVIA: check Samba Interactive TV on supported models
- Confirm that the setting applies to your exact BRAVIA model; Samba Interactive TV is available only on certain models.
- On the Android TV models covered by Sony’s directions, look under Settings > System Preferences > Interactive TV Settings or for Samba Interactive TV.
- Disable or opt out of the service if you do not want it. Older non-Android menus may differ, so use the manual for your model if the path does not match.
Sony’s guidance concerns Samba Interactive TV, a third-party service on supported BRAVIA TVs. Do not treat this as a setting present on every Sony TV.
What an ACR opt-out does not necessarily stop
An ACR control applies to a specific viewing-recognition or interactive-TV function. It does not necessarily turn off app-level collection, voice features, recommendations, advertising preferences or all device telemetry. For example, Samsung’s SmartTV privacy supplement says third-party app providers may receive device information and usage data; recommendation and marketing features are separate considerations.
Rank #4
- CRYSTAL PROCESSOR: Powerful processor enhances colors and sharpens details for a vibrant 4K viewing experience. Experience every shade of color as it was meant to be seen in dazzling 4K. Plus, make your movies, TV shows, games and sports look even better with powerful 4K upscaling.
- ENDLESS FREE CONTENT: Watch 2,700+ free streaming options, including 750+ subscription-free channels on Samsung TV Plus. Enjoy news, sports, movies, kids' shows and reality TV — all without a subscription. Discover endless entertainment with new content added regularly, tailored to your mood and interests.*
- MOTION XCELERATOR: Experience clear picture and smooth motion in games and sports. Enjoy smooth motion and clear visuals with technology that estimates and adjusts frame transitions in real time. Whether gaming or watching sports, enjoy up to 4K 60Hz performance that brings every play, move and scene to life with realistic clarity and motion.
- COLOR BOOSTER: Supercharge your color. From fiery reds to sparkling blues, make every color come to life with intensity. Color Booster transforms your content into a visual masterpiece.
- 4K UPSCALING: Upgrades what you watch to crisp 4K clarity. Upgrade your favorite shows, movies and more. Experience incredible details and clarity in every frame, even from lower-quality sources, with advanced upscaling technology.
- Review privacy choices within each installed streaming or other app.
- Check separate TV settings for voice assistants, personalized recommendations, advertising and diagnostics if those are concerns.
- Read the agreements for services you use, since their data practices may be distinct from the TV’s ACR setting.
What independent testing can—and cannot—tell you
A 2024 study by Anselmi, Vekaria, D’Souza, Callejo, Mandalari and Shafiq measured ACR network traffic from Samsung and LG TVs in US and UK test setups. The researchers reported ACR activity in some external-display scenarios. In the configurations they tested, after opting out they observed no communication with identified ACR domains; they also reported differences between countries.
Those findings describe specific tested devices and scenarios, not every current model, app, firmware version or market. They support checking the setting and taking an opt-out seriously, but they do not establish that every TV behaves identically or that an ACR opt-out stops all network traffic from the TV.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- MINI LED PROCESSOR 4K: Our advanced processor delivers brighter highlights and deeper blacks,* bringing every detail to life with stunning clarity
- PURE COLOR SPECTRUM: delivers one billion true-to-life colors, powered by advanced color technology and MiniLED precision. Enjoy rich reds, deep blues, and vibrant greens, making every scene leap off the screen with breathtaking realism.
- MINI LED HDR: Experience HDR picture quality with brighter highlights and deeper blacks than traditional HDR TVs.* Enjoy vibrant colors and lifelike details as this technology enhances brightness and contrast, making every image stand out with remarkable depth and realism.
- ENDLESS FREE CONTENT: Watch 2,700+ free streaming options, including 750+ subscription-free channels on Samsung TV Plus. Enjoy news, sports, movies, kids' shows and reality TV — all without a subscription. Discover endless entertainment with new content added regularly, tailored to your mood and interests.*
- SUPREME MINI LED DIMMING: delivers deep contrast and bright highlights for a truly superb picture.*
A practical privacy check after setup or an update
- Write down the model, software generation and country or market for the TV.
- Open privacy settings and inspect viewing-recognition controls and relevant user agreements.
- Disable the ACR or interactive-TV feature if you do not want it, using the model-specific instructions when menus differ.
- Review app privacy settings and other TV services separately.
- Recheck the controls after a major software update, since labels and menus can change.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
