Smart TV platforms have separate controls for recognizing screen content, recording device and app use, and personalizing ads. What each control does depends on the platform.
Check the setting for your TV. VIZIO says turning off Viewing Data does not stop Activity Data collection, while Google says deleting an advertising ID does not turn off ads.
1. Roku TV content recognition
What happened: Roku's optional content recognition matches a screen sample against its catalog. Content outside that catalog gets no match, according to Roku's explanation. Roku says ACR is off until you opt in. Its Smart TV Experience can identify shows, movies or games watched through streaming, an antenna or another connected device.
Roku describes the sample as an encrypted fingerprint of screen pixels. A match can power More Ways to Watch, which may offer a show from the beginning, more episodes or related titles in streaming apps. Roku says personal videos do not match its catalog.
What to check: Open Settings > Privacy > Smart TV Experience and turn off Automatic Content Recognition (ACR). Roku says turning it off does not erase data collected while it was enabled. Press Home on the Roku remote first, then highlight the ACR checkbox and press OK if it is checked. More Ways to Watch has a separate notification checkbox on that screen.
2. VIZIO viewing data
What happened: On VIZIO OS products, optional Viewing Data uses content recognition to identify what is playing, including content from connected devices. VIZIO says this is separate from Activity Data. Its policy says Viewing Data can include ads, gaming content, volume, channel information and the identity of an HDMI streaming stick. VIZIO associates Viewing Data with the TV's IP address and a unique device identifier.
This matters if you use a cable box or streaming stick: VIZIO's description covers programming on the screen from those inputs. Turning Viewing Data off does not affect TV performance or online services, and VIZIO says it triggers deletion of that TV's historical Viewing Data logs. Activity Data still supports VIZIO OS features.
What to check: Turn off Viewing Data at All Settings > Privacy & Legal > Viewing Data. On older TVs, use All Settings > Admin & Privacy > Viewing Data, as described in VIZIO's policy. Use the TV remote to open All Settings and set Viewing Data to off on each VIZIO OS product you want to change; VIZIO says the switch applies only to that product.
3. Hands-free microphones on some Fire TV devices
What happened: Some Fire TV devices support hands-free Alexa. Amazon says a supported device streams audio to the cloud after detecting the wake word. Its Fire TV FAQ says that stream includes a fraction of a second before the wake word and closes after the request is processed.
A hands-free device displays a visual indicator when it records a request for the cloud. Pressing the remote's voice button instead puts a blue light bar on the TV screen. Amazon says the microphone off control stops the device from recording and streaming audio even if you say the wake word.
What to check: If your device has a microphone off button or switch, use it to disconnect power to the microphones. Amazon says the device shows a red light and the voice remote still works; see its Alexa device FAQ. To review recordings tied to your account, open the Alexa app and go to More > Alexa Privacy > Review Alexa History. Amazon says you can play recordings, inspect transcripts and delete voice recordings there.
4. Fire TV device and app usage
What happened: Amazon describes separate Fire TV controls for device usage data and for data about when third-party apps open, close and run. The device setting limits processing for marketing and product improvement; the app setting controls Amazon's collection of that app usage data. Amazon says its operating system also records actions such as home-screen navigation and choices in device settings.
The distinction matters because turning off Device Usage Data does not stop Amazon from processing data needed for features such as Parental Controls or the Recents row. Amazon also says that switch does not cover use of Amazon services such as Prime Video.
What to check: In Settings > Preferences > Privacy Settings, review Device Usage Data and Collect App Usage Data separately. Amazon's privacy FAQ explains both controls. Select each option in turn and turn it off if you want to limit the use described for that option. The same menu has Interest-based Ads, which concerns apps' use of a resettable advertising ID for ad profiles and targeting.
5. Antenna viewing data on Fire TV smart TVs
What happened: Amazon says Fire TV smart TVs can provide data about over-the-air programs received through an antenna connected directly to the TV. Its Fire TV privacy FAQ describes a separate Over-the-air Viewing Data choice for that source of programming.
This option addresses programs received by the TV's own antenna connection. Amazon lists Device Usage Data, Collect App Usage Data and Interest-based Ads as separate settings. The app usage choice concerns when third-party apps open and close and how long they run, rather than the antenna feed.
What to check: If you use that kind of antenna connection, review the Over-the-air Viewing Data option at Settings > Preferences > Privacy Settings. Amazon says you can opt out there. On certain Fire TV smart TVs, Amazon also lets you visit amazon.com/mycd and select Privacy Settings > Amazon Devices Privacy to view and manage these settings from your account.
6. The Google TV advertising ID
What happened: Google TV assigns an advertising ID that installed apps can use to personalize ads. Deleting the ID does not stop ads based on other information. Google says the ID is unique to each Google TV device, and you can reset or delete it at any time. Resetting replaces the current ID with a new one; deleting it assigns no replacement.
That difference matters if you want to stop apps from using this particular ID for personalized ads. Google says apps may still show ads after deletion, including ads based on information you shared with them. After a reset, apps can still show personalized ads, although those ads may be less relevant for a while.
What to check: From the home screen, open Settings > Privacy > Ads > Delete advertising ID. Google's help page also offers Reset advertising ID, which replaces the old ID with a new one. For deletion, Google says to focus on Delete advertising ID by pressing the D-pad twice, then press Select. If you want a replacement ID instead, choose Reset advertising ID from the same Ads menu.
7. VIZIO data linked to a Walmart account
What happened: With consent, data from a VIZIO OS product can be linked to the Walmart account signed in on it for uses including personalized promotions and ad measurement. VIZIO calls the combined categories VIZIO OS Data: Viewing Data, Activity Data, Mobile App Data and Mobile Streaming Data.
The choice applies to all updated VIZIO devices on that Walmart account. When it is off, VIZIO says data is linked only as needed for services, although limited disclosure for aggregate measurement or reporting can continue. Turning off this account link does not turn off the TV's Viewing Data collection.
What to check: Review the choice to connect Walmart account data with VIZIO OS Data at VIZIO.com/account or in the VIZIO Mobile App. This account choice is separate from the TV's Viewing Data switch, as VIZIO's policy explains. For that TV switch, use All Settings > Privacy & Legal > Viewing Data, or All Settings > Admin & Privacy > Viewing Data on older TVs. VIZIO says changing the TV switch affects only that product.
