Your Samsung TV is watching you — how to turn off data collection

1. Why Samsung TVs collect your data

Samsung's Vision Information Services (VIS) uses Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) to identify what you're watching across all inputs. This data builds a profile of your viewing habits that Samsung uses for improving recommendations and advertising. On current models, VIS is opt-in rather than enabled by default.

Voice recognition features record and analyze voice commands when you use Samsung's smart TV features. Samsung claims this improves voice command accuracy, but it also means your TV is listening and transmitting audio data. On 2025 Samsung TVs, voice recognition is opt-in and not enabled by default — though this varies by model year.

Interest-based advertising uses your viewing history to target ads. Samsung tracks which shows you watch, which apps you use, and how long you spend on different content. This information creates advertising profiles that follow you across Samsung devices and services. Interest-based ads are linked to VIS — if you've enabled VIS, this is likely active too.

If you accepted the default prompts during TV setup without reading carefully, some or all of these features may already be running. It's worth checking your settings regardless.

2. How to turn off Samsung TV tracking

Press the Home button on your Samsung remote, then navigate to Settings, Support, Terms & Privacy, and Privacy Choices. This menu contains all the tracking settings you need to review.

Select Viewing Information Services and toggle it off to disable ACR tracking. This stops Samsung from monitoring what you watch across streaming apps, cable boxes, gaming consoles, and any other connected devices.

To prevent Samsung from using your viewing data to target ads, select Interest-Based Advertising and toggle it off. You'll still see advertisements, but they won't be based on your personal viewing history.

If you use Samsung's voice features, select Voice Recognition Services and toggle that off too. This stops the TV from recording and analyzing voice commands, but it also disables voice control entirely — there's no way to use voice features without data collection.

3. Why you should disable these features

Viewing data reveals more about you than you might realise. The shows you watch, when you watch them, and how often you re-watch certain content can indicate your interests, habits, and daily schedule. This information has value, which is why Samsung collects it.

You paid for the TV. Disabling tracking features reclaims control over the device you own — and it costs you nothing. The TV works exactly the same with tracking disabled. Picture quality doesn't change. Apps still function. You're not sacrificing any performance by opting out, you're just preventing Samsung from monitoring your activity.