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|Smart TVs of multiple brands have a feature called Automatic Content Recognition, which sends several screenshots per minute of whatever plays on the device to the manufacturer for analysis. This includes content from external inputs and thus could include private photos and videos of the user, as well as third parties who never agreed to anything of that nature. This is required to be opt-in in the US, but most people inadvertently agree to it with the EULA of the device.
'''Automatic Content Recognition (ACR)''' is a feature in certain kinds of devices manufacturers use to collect consumer data, visuals and audio, at periodic intervals, which grants the manufacturing companies access to the private data automatically.<ref name="IA-cloud">{{Cite web|url=https://www.acrcloud.com/docs/introduction/automatic-content-recognition/|title=ACRCloud Docs|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170228090804/https://www.acrcloud.com/docs/introduction/automatic-content-recognition/|archive-date=2017-02-28|url-status=dead}}</ref> ACR allows the manufacturing companies of Smart TVs access to information like:
|
#Content being viewed
|}
#Connected devices
[Yes, Your TV Is Probably Spying on You. Your Fridge, Too. Here’s What They Know. | Wirecutter]
#Time and date of the viewing
#Duration of the content
 
ACR is an opt-in feature buried beneath the EULA, turned on by default.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url= https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/advice-smart-devices-data-tracking/|title= Yes, Your TV Is Probably Spying on You. Your Fridge, Too. Here’s What They Know.|work=New York Times|date=2025-06-25|first1=Rachel|last1=Cericola|first2=Jon|last2=Chase|first3=Lee|last3=Neikirk|access-date=2025-08-12}}</ref>
 
==Consumer Data==
The harvested data is used to push targeted content to the consumer such as polls and advertisements,<ref name="IA-cloud" />and it is also often sold without knowledge. '''Automatic Content Recognition (ACR)''' has become a four billion dollar industry, projected to double in value by 2030 to 10 billion USD.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Automatic Content Recognition Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2025 - 2030) |url=https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/automatic-content-recognition-market |access-date=2025-08-12 |work=Mordor Intelligence}}</ref>
 
Due to the nature of a majority of smart devices, the kind of data being stored is usually sensitive. Devices that are always on, for example [[Amazon Echo changes terms of voice usage|Amazon Echo]], [[Apple]] HomePods, and [[Google]] Nest models, are constantly in a state of monitoring. The corresponding apps to control the devices prompt a lot of personal information, such as email, address, location, contacts and sometimes photos.<ref name=":0" />
 
A study revealed that outdoor security cameras collect 50% more data than smart home apps.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-27 |title=Is privacy an illusion under a security camera’s watch? |url=https://surfshark.com/research/chart/security-camera-apps-privacy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250813002246/https://surfshark.com/research/chart/security-camera-apps-privacy |archive-date=13 Aug 2025 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=surfshark.com}}</ref>
 
'''<big>Data Collected by Outdoor Security Cameras:  </big>'''
 
#Email addresses
#Phone numbers
#Payment information
#Location
 
'''<big>Data Collected by Indoor Security Cameras:  </big>'''
 
#Email addresses
#Phone Numbers
#User IDs
#Device IDs
#Purchase history
#Audio
 
These lists aren't exhaustive.
 
The gathered data then has the possibility of being intercepted at three different points:
 
#The device which hosts the app
#During the data transmission of the device and cloud
#In the cloud
 
==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Common terms]]

Latest revision as of 20:03, 13 August 2025

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Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) is a feature in certain kinds of devices manufacturers use to collect consumer data, visuals and audio, at periodic intervals, which grants the manufacturing companies access to the private data automatically.[1] ACR allows the manufacturing companies of Smart TVs access to information like:

  1. Content being viewed
  2. Connected devices
  3. Time and date of the viewing
  4. Duration of the content

ACR is an opt-in feature buried beneath the EULA, turned on by default.[2]

Consumer Data[edit | edit source]

The harvested data is used to push targeted content to the consumer such as polls and advertisements,[1]and it is also often sold without knowledge. Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) has become a four billion dollar industry, projected to double in value by 2030 to 10 billion USD.[3]

Due to the nature of a majority of smart devices, the kind of data being stored is usually sensitive. Devices that are always on, for example Amazon Echo, Apple HomePods, and Google Nest models, are constantly in a state of monitoring. The corresponding apps to control the devices prompt a lot of personal information, such as email, address, location, contacts and sometimes photos.[2]

A study revealed that outdoor security cameras collect 50% more data than smart home apps.[4]

Data Collected by Outdoor Security Cameras: 

  1. Email addresses
  2. Phone numbers
  3. Payment information
  4. Location

Data Collected by Indoor Security Cameras: 

  1. Email addresses
  2. Phone Numbers
  3. User IDs
  4. Device IDs
  5. Purchase history
  6. Audio

These lists aren't exhaustive.

The gathered data then has the possibility of being intercepted at three different points:

  1. The device which hosts the app
  2. During the data transmission of the device and cloud
  3. In the cloud

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "ACRCloud Docs". Archived from the original on 2017-02-28.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cericola, Rachel; Chase, Jon; Neikirk, Lee (2025-06-25). "Yes, Your TV Is Probably Spying on You. Your Fridge, Too. Here's What They Know". New York Times. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
  3. ↑ "Automatic Content Recognition Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2025 - 2030)". Mordor Intelligence. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
  4. ↑ "Is privacy an illusion under a security camera's watch?". surfshark.com. 2024-08-27. Archived from the original on 13 Aug 2025. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
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