Automatic content recognition: Difference between revisions

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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 |title=ACRCloud Docs |url=https://www.acrcloud.com/docs/introduction/automatic-content-recognition/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170228090804/https://www.acrcloud.com/docs/introduction/automatic-content-recognition/ |archive-date=2017-02-28}}</ref>

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|}

==How it works==

[Yes, Your TV Is Probably Spying on You. Your Fridge, Too. Here’s What They Know. | ~~Wirecutter~~]

ACR allows the manufacturing companies of Smart TVs access to information like:

#Content being viewed

#Connected devices

#Time and date of the viewing

#Duration of the content

#Specific sensors it has access to

ACR is an opt-in feature buried beneath the EULA, turned on by default.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last1=Cericola |first1=Rachel |last2=Chase |first2=Jon |last3=Neikirk |first3=Lee |date=2025-06-25 |title=Yes, Your TV Is Probably Spying on You. Your Fridge, Too. Here’s What They Know. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/advice-smart-devices-data-tracking/ |access-date=2025-08-12 |work=New York Times}}</ref>

==Why it is a problem==

===Privacy===

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. Though they claim they only begin monitoring after they hear a keyword, which can be misfired. 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

==Examples==

Siri class action lawsuit listening to users even when the device was not in use

Adobes limited royalty free licence to train AI on user content for generation and content recognition purposes

Smart TV companies using '''ACR''' to determine what ads to serve and sell to other brokers

==References==

[[Category:Common terms]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-(temporary):
+{{StubNotice}}
-{| class="wikitable"
-|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 |title=ACRCloud Docs |url=https://www.acrcloud.com/docs/introduction/automatic-content-recognition/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170228090804/https://www.acrcloud.com/docs/introduction/automatic-content-recognition/ |archive-date=2017-02-28}}</ref>
-|
-|}
+==How it works==
-[Yes, Your TV Is Probably Spying on You. Your Fridge, Too. Here’s What They Know. | Wirecutter]
+ACR allows the manufacturing companies of Smart TVs access to information like:
+#Content being viewed
+#Connected devices
+#Time and date of the viewing
+#Duration of the content
+#Specific sensors it has access to
+ACR is an opt-in feature buried beneath the EULA, turned on by default.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last1=Cericola |first1=Rachel |last2=Chase |first2=Jon |last3=Neikirk |first3=Lee |date=2025-06-25 |title=Yes, Your TV Is Probably Spying on You. Your Fridge, Too. Here’s What They Know. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/advice-smart-devices-data-tracking/ |access-date=2025-08-12 |work=New York Times}}</ref>
+==Why it is a problem==
+===Privacy===
+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. Though they claim they only begin monitoring after they hear a keyword, which can be misfired. 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
+==Examples==
+Siri class action lawsuit listening to users even when the device was not in use
+Adobes limited royalty free licence to train AI on user content for generation and content recognition purposes
+Smart TV companies using '''ACR''' to determine what ads to serve and sell to other brokers
+==References==
+{{reflist}}
+[[Category:Common terms]]