Samsung and Vizio TVs found sending data despite privacy opt-outs

A study by researchers at Northeastern University has revealed that disabling advertising tracking on certain smart TVs does not necessarily stop the transmission of user data. The research focused on Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) technology, which captures video screenshots or audio snippets to measure audiences and target advertisements.

Testing conducted across 5,943 controlled experiments involving twelve television models showed that network traffic associated with ACR continued even after users explicitly opted out. Specifically, Samsung Tizen, Vizio OS, and Roku OS were identified as continuing to send data despite user settings.

In the case of Samsung Tizen, researchers detected ACR-consistent traffic in 41 out of 60 antenna input tests and 18 out of 30 HDMI input tests, even when using external sources. For Roku, the behavior was noted specifically when using 'The Roku Channel' application, a practice the company notes is included in its terms of use. Vizio OS was also highlighted for persistent data transmission despite opt-out selections.