How to disable ACR on your TV - and why it makes such a big difference

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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 power.

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What's the incentive behind this invasive technology? According to market research firm eMarketer, in 2022, advertisers spent an estimated $18.6 billion on smart TV ads, and these numbers are expected to continue rising ...