GoKawiilStudy finds Vizio TVs keep sending tracking data after opt-out
Northeastern University researchers tested 12 smart TVs across 10 brands and found Vizio's SmartCast continued sending the same volume of traffic to an Amazon Kinesis server linked to automatic content recognition even after users opted out, in all 30 test runs. Samsung's own streaming service showed similar behavior, while LG, Fire TV, VIDAA and Sony's Google TV stopped sending data once users opted out. Vizio's free WatchFree+ service also sends unencrypted show and channel names via DNS lookups to partner Amagi, with no option to disable it.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Vizio previously paid $2.2 million to settle FTC charges over covert tracking and agreed to offer opt-outs, so persistent data flows raise questions about whether that remedy is functioning as intended. Because the Vizio and Samsung traffic is encrypted, researchers could not confirm its contents, so they stopped short of alleging a settlement violation, but the findings suggest opt-out settings may not reliably stop data collection across the smart TV industry. The unencrypted WatchFree+ leak could let internet providers or others on the network infer viewing habits regardless of any privacy settings.
- Vizio's SmartCast kept sending ACR-linked traffic in all 30 tests after users opted out, unlike four other platforms tested.
- Samsung's own streaming service also continued sending similar traffic despite opt-out, while Roku's opt-out excludes The Roku Channel.
- Vizio's WatchFree+ sends unencrypted show/channel names via DNS with no way to disable the feature.
NVIDIA Shield TV Pro streaming box — If you're uneasy about your smart TV phoning home even after you opt out, a dedicated streaming box like the Shield TV Pro lets you use your TV purely as a dumb display while controlling your streaming apps and privacy settings separately. It runs a clean Android TV interface without the manufacturer's built-in ACR tracking baked into platforms like Vizio's SmartCast. It's a practical way to sidestep the exact privacy issue raised in this article.}<br>
See NVIDIA Shield TV Pro streaming box on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: techspot.com — Zo Ahmed, 2026-11-03
Published there as: “Vizio smart TVs are ignoring tracking opt-outs, continue to send data even when sitting idle”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.