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ZDNET's key takeaways
Smart TVs track viewing habits with ACR tech.
Collected data fuels billions in targeted ads.
Turning off ACR protects privacy but takes effort.
Most modern smart TVs come with a silent partner: Automatic Content Recognition (ACR). This ad-tracking tech monitors everything on your screen in real-time, feeding your viewing history into a database to build a precise profile of your habits. It's the engine behind those eerily specific ads -- and it's likely running the moment you press the power button.
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What's the incentive behind this invasive technology? Money. Companies buy and sell the tracking data collected from your search histories and media preferences to fine-tune targeted ad campaigns. According to Yahoo Finance, the smart TV ad market is expected to reach $691 billion by 2033, up from $255 billion in 2024.
And if you want to break the cycle, it's as simple as toggling off a few menu options.
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