Your Smart TV Knows What You’re Watching – The Markup
themarkup.org
Here’s how to turn off “automated content recognition,” the Shazam-like software on smart TVs that tracks what you’re watching

These TVs can capture and identify 7,200 images per hour, or approximately two every second. The data is then used for content recommendations and ad targeting, which is a huge business; advertisers spent an estimated $18.6 billion on smart TV ads in 2022, according to market research firm eMarketer.

  • UnfortunateShort
    34•11 months ago

    I’m pretty sure my Android TV powered by Google™ knows more than what I’m watching. It could probably give me therapy if I threw a LLM on there.

    Good to know I’m not paranoid enough tho.

    • @[email protected]
      9•11 months ago

      Yep.

      I got a Fire Stick early on, ditched it after a year.

      Have a Samsung smart TV now, working to stop using the smart part and run more self hosted, and isolate apps like Netflix and Amazon.

      • @Squizzy
        10•11 months ago

        Worst part about this is I have an OLED, if I use a different device for features I risk burn. Netflix on the tv will show a screensaver and go black after 2 minutes. Pressing pause on Netflix on the ps5 or appletv means you get a static screen until you return.

        I wish we could get what we pay for and not be products ourselves.