Vizio recently got in trouble for collecting data on TV customers who opted out. This brings up an interesting question: Can my TV collect and share my data? Yep, the option is hidden in the settings of most smart TVs as “viewing information” or “internet-based advertising”. If you don’t want to be tracked, opt out.
Photo by Tookapic.
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Consumer Reports has a helpful guide on how to do this, depending on your television brand. For example, with Vizio models, here’s what you need to do:
Almost all of Vizio’s new TVs now use the Google-powered SmartCast system. To turn off Smart Interactivity, open the Vizio app on a mobile device, find Settings, and click on Reset & Admin. Now you can use the onscreen slider button to turn off the feature.
Older models, plus newer D-series sets, use a platform called Vizio Internet Apps (VIA). Go to the System setting. In a menu called Reset & Admin, highlight Smart Interactivity and press the right arrow to disable the ACR.
On Samsung devices, you would navigate to Settings, look for Support, then head to “Terms & Policies”. From there, you’ll disable “Internet-Based Advertising” and you can deselect terms for the following:
- Viewing Information Services
- Voice Recognition Services
- Nuance Voice Recognition and Privacy Notices
For more detail, head to Consumer Reports full article at the link below.
How to Turn Off Smart TV Snooping Features [Consumer Reports]
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