How to turn off HDMI-CEC on your TV - and why it makes such a big difference

TVs often analyze what you watch to curate suggestions and serve you ads, even through HDMI-connected devices, but I've found ways to take back control.

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It's been something of an open secret over the last decade or so that your TV and other devices monitor your streaming activity in order to serve you personalized ads or content suggestions. 

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

But did you know that most smart TVs also analyze things you watch on devices connected via HDMI? A modern smart TV is just as capable of mining a 20-year-old DVD for advertising data as it is your Netflix queue. Thankfully, we've found a few ways to help keep your TV-viewing experience as private as possible.

How HDMI ...