iPhone and iPad
- Open Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking.
- Turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track.Apps that ask are then treated as if you chose Ask App Not to Track.
- Turn off tracking for any app already listed.
ACR, short for automatic content recognition, lets a smart TV identify what is on screen and report it for recommendations and ads.1, 2 These settings turn it off or limit it.
What each TV calls the setting
Select your TV for its steps. Checked 28 October 2026 against the sources.
Menus move between model years: where a source says what changes, the small print under a step gives it.
SettingViewing Information Services
Checked against Samsung's support page and Consumer Reports (updated 19 October 2025).3, 4
Samsung says ACR only runs if you agreed to Viewing Information Services, at setup or later, and that you can opt out at any time.3 Full Samsung guide
SettingsViewing Information and Live Plus
Checked against LG's ACR and Viewing Information Agreement (last updated May 2026) and Consumer Reports.4, 5
A Do Not Sell request on its own doesn't stop ACR: LG's agreement says Live Plus stays active until you also turn off its toggle.5 Full LG guide
SettingAutomatic Content Recognition (ACR)
Roku TVs are also sold by Hisense, Insignia, Onn, Philips, Sharp, TCL and others.4 Checked against Roku Support (updated 23 June 2026) and Roku's privacy policy (1 July 2026).1, 6
Roku says ACR is off out of the box, and that data collected while ACR was on is kept.1 Full Roku guide
SettingViewing Data
Checked against Vizio's Viewing Data Supplement to its privacy policy.2 Full Vizio guide, with ads and the Walmart account.
MenuPrivacy Settings
Fire TV is built into TVs from several makers, including Amazon, Hisense, Insignia, Panasonic, Pioneer and Toshiba.4 Checked against Amazon's privacy settings FAQ for Fire TV.7 Full Fire TV guide, with Fire tablets.
On certain models you can manage the same settings at amazon.com/mycd, under Privacy Settings, Amazon Devices Privacy.7
SettingsAdvertising ID, plus the TV maker's own setting
Google TV runs on Hisense, Philips, Sony and TCL TVs, among others.4 Checked against Google TV Help.8 Full Google TV guide, with Location and recommendations.
Google says the Google TV platform itself doesn't use ACR, but TV brands that build on it may, according to Consumer Reports.4
SettingEnhanced Viewing Service
Hisense also sells Roku TV, Fire TV and Google TV models: use the Roku, Fire TV or Google TV guide as well.4 Checked against Hisense USA's Enhanced Viewing Service Privacy Notice (effective 1 March 2025).10
Resetting the SmartTV Identifier is not the same as turning the service off: Hisense says a reset doesn't stop relevant ads or the automatic picture and sound adjustment.10
SettingsDepend on the platform
On a TCL Roku TV, use the Roku guide.4 The steps here are for TCL Google TVs, checked against TCL Support and Consumer Reports.4, 11 Full TCL guide, with Android TV sets.
On some TCL Google TVs a picture setting is also called Automatic Content Recognition: TCL describes it as switching to a matching picture mode when FILMMAKER MODE or IMAX content is detected.12
One key setting for each device, from the maker's own help page. For cars, what the FTC's order requires of GM.
Under an FTC order finalized on 14 January 2026, GM must, with some exceptions, get consumers' affirmative express consent before collecting, using or sharing connected vehicle data.19
Turning off one leaves the other on.
If ACR is on, the TV identifies what you watch and sends that to the maker or its ACR partner, which can use it for recommendations and ads and may share or license it to others.2, 5 Samsung, Roku and Vizio say ACR only runs if you agree to it.1, 2, 3 In December 2025 Texas sued five TV makers, alleging their TVs collected viewing data without consent.20 Our ACR explainer covers how it works.
No. Consumer Reports found you can't stop all of a smart TV's data collection, but turning off ACR reduces it.4 Roku says it still receives information about what you stream in apps and on its own services.6 Vizio says Activity Data collection continues.2 Streaming apps on the TV may collect their own data, and the advertising ID is a separate setting.4, 8
On 15 December 2025 the Texas Attorney General announced suits against Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense and TCL over ACR.20 The office announced an agreement with Samsung on 26 February 2026 and one with LG on 11 May 2026. The office says that under them, Samsung must get Texas consumers' express consent before collecting or processing ACR viewing data, and LG must get informed consent before collecting viewing data with ACR.21, 22 When the LG agreement was announced, the cases against Sony, Hisense and TCL were ongoing.22
Every step comes from the maker's own help page or privacy notice, or a dated independent test such as Consumer Reports'. How we check