How to prevent your streaming device from tracking your viewing habits (and why it makes a difference)

Your Fire Stick, Roku, and other streaming devices collect your personal data for various reasons. If you're uncomfortable with that, here's how to get peace of mind.

Whenever I hear about consumer data tracking, my half-century-old brain dredges up that Hall and Oates hit called "Private Eyes" with the refrain "they're watching you." 

I don't mean to incite Big Brother paranoia; I know I'm not being spied on everywhere I go, especially not in the seclusion of my home. But while using streaming devices, you can almost guarantee that your entertainment and advertisement preferences are being tracked.

Also: Your Roku TV is getting several updates for free - including a big one for Roku City

The culprit is better known as Big Data -- arguably less invasive and sinister, but still annoying to some people -- and there are ways to mitigate that on your ...