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full rewrite. added cargo template, sourced everything properly. expanded acr section with tx ag lawsuit details, settlement, class action. expanded benchmark cheating with specific models and technical details, added galaxy s4 precedent. expanded voice recording section with epic ftc complaint, unencrypted transmissions, weeping angel. added post-purchase advertising section. removed reddit citation, all sloppy tags.
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|ArticleType=Product
|Category=Television,Smart TV
|Company=Samsung
|Description=Samsung smart TVs collect viewing data every 500ms, cheated on reviewer benchmarks, and display ads that can't be fully disabled
|InProduction=Yes
|ReleaseYear=2008
|Website=https://www.samsung.com/us/televisions-home-theater/tvs/
}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Samsung TVs}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Samsung TVs}}


Samsung smart TVs have been the subject of several controversies, namely due to data privacy concerns and misleading consumers.
'''Samsung smart TVs''' have been the subject of multiple lawsuits, regulatory complaints, & consumer backlash over data collection practices, benchmark manipulation, & post-purchase advertising. In December 2025, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Samsung & four other TV manufacturers, alleging their smart TVs collected detailed viewing data without consumers' knowledge or consent.<ref name="therecord-acr-lawsuit">{{Cite web |title=Texas sues 5 smart TV manufacturers over data collection practices |url=https://therecord.media/texas-sues-5-smart-tv-makers-over-acr-tech |website=The Record |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> Samsung settled in February 2026, agreeing to halt data collection without express consent.<ref name="therecord-samsung-settlement">{{Cite web |title=Samsung updates ACR privacy practices after Texas sues TV manufacturers |url=https://therecord.media/samsung-updates-acr-privacy-practices-texas |website=The Record |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref>


== Automatic manipulation of reviewer benchmarks ==
== Incidents ==
In 2022, TV reviewers found that their Samsung smart TVs were automatically detecting benchmark usage to manipulate the results.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Larsen |first=Rasmus |date=2022-06-03 |title=Samsung caught cheating in TV benchmarks, promises software update |url=https://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1654235588 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260128202421/https://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1654235588 |archive-date=28 Jan 2026|access-date=2026-02-09 |website=FlatpanelsHD}}</ref> Upon detection, the TVs would adjust their color and luminance tracking to appear more accurate than it is. Furthermore, the TV would also boost its peak brightness beyond the safe limits of the display to simulate having a higher peak brightness than it can provide under normal usage. This caused many reviewers to unknowingly publish incorrect, higher-scoring benchmark results for the affected TV models until evidence of these issues were made public.


Shortly after receiving backlash for this incident, Samsung pushed updates to the affected TVs to remove the benchmark detection behavior.
=== Automatic content recognition surveillance ===


== ACR user data collection ==
{{Main|Texas Attorney General sues multiple TV makers over ACR user data collection}}
Samsung, along with a number of other smart TV manufacturers, were sued by Texas Attorney General in December 2025 for failing to disclose the data collection capabilities of [[wikipedia:Automatic_content_recognition|ACR (Automatic Content Recognition)]] in their products.<ref name="petition-samsung">{{Cite web |date=December 15, 2025 |title=State of Texas v. Samsung Electronics America, Inc., Original Petition |url=https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/images/press/Samsung%20TV%20Petition%20Filed.pdf |access-date=January 21, 2026 |publisher=Office of the Texas Attorney General |format=PDF |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260206163119/https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/images/press/Samsung%20TV%20Petition%20Filed.pdf |archive-date=6 Feb 2026}}</ref> Under the lawsuits, it is alleged that Samsung utilized ACR technology to determine what the the viewer is watching and sell the data to advertisers without consent. Anecdotal evidence lends credence to these claims in the form of abnormal amounts of telemetry data being uploaded to Samsung's servers by their smart TVs.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/samsung/comments/1kpulqw/samsung_smart_tvs_privacy_nightmare_massive/ ([https://web.archive.org/web/20260224111819/https://old.reddit.com/r/samsung/comments/1kpulqw/samsung_smart_tvs_privacy_nightmare_massive/ Archived])</ref>


More information about the lawsuits can be read [[Texas Attorney General sues multiple TV makers over ACR user data collection|here]].
Samsung smart TVs use [[wikipedia:Automatic_content_recognition|Automatic Content Recognition (ACR)]], which Samsung brands as "Viewing Information Services." According to the Texas AG's petition, the technology captures screenshots of the TV display every 500 milliseconds, regardless of the content source.<ref name="petition-samsung">{{Cite web |date=December 15, 2025 |title=State of Texas v. Samsung Electronics America, Inc., Original Petition |url=https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/images/press/Samsung%20TV%20Petition%20Filed.pdf |publisher=Office of the Texas Attorney General |format=PDF |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> ACR doesn't just track Samsung apps. It also captures content routed through HDMI ports from cable boxes, game consoles, DVD players, & devices casting via Apple AirPlay.<ref name="petition-samsung" /><ref name="therecord-acr-lawsuit" />


== Voice recordings of private conversations ==
On December 15, 2025, Paxton filed separate lawsuits against Samsung, Sony, LG, Hisense, & TCL under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA).<ref name="therecord-acr-lawsuit" /><ref name="iapp-acr">{{Cite web |title=Automated content recognition technology takes privacy enforcement spotlight |url=https://iapp.org/news/a/automated-content-recognition-technology-takes-privacy-enforcement-spotlight |website=IAPP |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> The Texas AG alleged that Samsung used dark patterns to prevent consumers from opting out, requiring consumers to navigate buried settings menus to disable data collection that took a single click to enable during setup.<ref name="petition-samsung" /><ref name="privacyguides-settlement">{{Cite web |date=2026-03-02 |title=Samsung Forced to Halt Data Collection in TVs in Texas Without "Express Consent" |url=https://www.privacyguides.org/news/2026/03/02/samsung-forced-to-halt-data-collection-in-tvs-in-texas-without-express-consent/ |website=Privacy Guides |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref>
In February 2015, CNet first reported that the privacy policy of Samsung smart TVs reveals that they can record private conversations and send them to the manufacturer or its party contractors for voice recognition.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Matyszczyk |first=Chris |date=2015-02-08 |title=Samsung's warning: Our Smart TVs record your living room chatter |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/privacy/samsungs-warning-our-smart-tvs-record-your-living-room-chatter/ |access-date=2025-08-30 |website=CNET |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260215131307/https://www.cnet.com/news/privacy/samsungs-warning-our-smart-tvs-record-your-living-room-chatter/ |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>


At the time, this was a novel concept as smart speakers like Amazon Echo were just coming out, and the backlash prompted Samsung to release a statement that transmission of voice recordings was specifically limited to instances when the voice recognition feature is used and updated its privacy policy to be more specific in this regard. However, Samsung did not explicitly deny the fact that this could lead to private conversations being transmitted to Samsung or their partner Nuance, Inc.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-02-10 |title=Samsung Smart TVs Do Not Monitor Living Room Conversations |url=https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-smart-tvs-do-not-monitor-living-room-conversations |access-date=2025-08-30 |website=Samsung Newsroom |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260203213840/https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-smart-tvs-do-not-monitor-living-room-conversations |archive-date=3 Feb 2026}}</ref>
Samsung became the first of the five manufacturers to settle, on February 26, 2026.<ref name="therecord-samsung-settlement" /> The settlement required Samsung to halt all ACR data collection without express consent & rewrite its consent screens to be "clear and conspicuous."<ref name="therecord-samsung-settlement" /> Samsung stated it "shares the Texas Attorney General's goal of promoting transparent and consumer-friendly privacy practices" while maintaining that its TVs "do not spy on customers."<ref name="therecord-samsung-settlement" /> Sony, LG, Hisense, & TCL had not settled as of the IAPP's January 2026 report.<ref name="iapp-acr" />
==See also==


[[wikipedia:Automatic_content_recognition|Automatic content recognition]]
A separate federal class action, ''DiGiacinto v. Samsung Electronics America Inc.'' (Case No. 1:26-cv-00196, S.D.N.Y.), was filed on January 9, 2026, by five Samsung TV owners alleging the company collected & disclosed their viewing data without consent.<ref name="pacer-digiacinto">{{Cite web |title=DIGIACINTO et al v. Samsung Electronics America, Inc. |url=https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/62368800/DIGIACINTO_et_al_v_Samsung_Electronics_America,_Inc |website=PACER Monitor |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref>
 
In 2017, the FTC settled with [[Vizio]] for $2.2 million after Vizio collected second-by-second viewing data on 11 million TVs without consent & sold it to advertisers with demographic information appended.<ref name="ftc-vizio">{{Cite web |date=2017-02-06 |title=VIZIO to Pay $2.2 Million to FTC, State of New Jersey to Settle Charges It Collected Viewing Histories on 11 Million Smart Televisions without Users' Consent |url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2017/02/vizio-pay-22-million-ftc-state-new-jersey-settle-charges-it-collected-viewing-histories-11-million |publisher=Federal Trade Commission |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> The FTC required Vizio to delete the data & obtain affirmative express consent for future collection.<ref name="ftc-vizio" />
 
=== Benchmark manipulation ===
 
In June 2022, reviewers at HDTVTest & FlatpanelsHD discovered that Samsung's S95B QD-OLED & QN95B Neo QLED TVs were programmed to detect standard reviewer test patterns & artificially inflate performance measurements.<ref name="flatpanelshd-benchmark">{{Cite web |last=Larsen |first=Rasmus |date=2022-06-03 |title=Samsung caught cheating in TV benchmarks, promises software update |url=https://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1654235588 |website=FlatpanelsHD |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref><ref name="hdtvtest-benchmark">{{Cite web |title=Samsung caught using algorithms to mislead reviewers about display accuracy |url=https://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/Samsung-caught-using-algorithms-to-mislead-reviewers-about-display-accuracy |website=HDTVTest |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref>
 
Professional TV calibrators use a standardized 10% window to measure HDR brightness & color accuracy. Samsung's firmware detected this specific window size & altered the TV's output.<ref name="hdtvtest-benchmark" /> On the QN95B, the TV boosted its peak brightness by approximately 80%, from a sustainable 1,300 nits to 2,300 nits, by sending short bursts of power into the miniLED backlight that couldn't be maintained without damaging the panel.<ref name="flatpanelshd-benchmark" /> On both models, the Electro-Optical Transfer Function (EOTF) & luminance tracking were adjusted to appear accurate to testing equipment.<ref name="flatpanelshd-benchmark" /><ref name="hdtvtest-benchmark" />
 
Reviewers bypassed the cheat by switching to a non-standard 9% window. The firmware didn't recognize it, & the TV displayed its actual performance.<ref name="hdtvtest-benchmark" /> Vincent Teoh of HDTVTest first identified the issue during his S95B review; Rasmus Larsen of FlatpanelsHD confirmed it on the QN95B.<ref name="flatpanelshd-benchmark" /><ref name="hdtvtest-benchmark" />
 
Samsung denied cheating, stating: "Samsung Electronics does not use any algorithm for the purpose of yielding specific test results."<ref name="techhive-benchmark">{{Cite web |title=Samsung TV benchmark brouhaha: Scandalous cheating, or tempest in a teapot? |url=https://www.techhive.com/article/784413/samsung-tv-benchmarks.html |website=TechHive |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> Samsung then pushed firmware update version 1211 for the S95B, which eliminated the discrepancy between 9% & 10% window measurements.<ref name="hdtvtest-benchmark" />
 
This wasn't Samsung's first benchmark manipulation. Samsung was previously caught artificially boosting processor performance on the Galaxy Note 3 & Galaxy S4 smartphones when they detected benchmarking software was running.<ref name="register-benchmark">{{Cite web |date=2022-06-15 |title=Samsung accused of cheating on hardware benchmarks -- again |url=https://www.theregister.com/2022/06/15/samsung_tv_benchmark/ |website=The Register |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> Samsung settled the resulting class action in 2019 for $13.4 million, paying Galaxy S4 owners $10 each.<ref name="register-s4-settlement">{{Cite web |date=2019-09-30 |title=Ever own a Galaxy S4? Congrats, you're $10 richer as Samsung agrees payout over dodgy speed tests |url=https://www.theregister.com/2019/09/30/samsung_benchmarking_settlement/ |website=The Register |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> The settlement required Samsung to stop using benchmark-manipulating code in its smartphones for three years, after which Samsung was free to resume the practice.<ref name="register-s4-settlement" />
 
=== Voice recording privacy controversy ===
 
In February 2015, CNET's Chris Matyszczyk reported that Samsung's smart TV privacy policy warned: "Please be aware that if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information, that information will be among the data captured and transmitted to a third party through your use of Voice Recognition."<ref name="cnet-voice">{{Cite web |last=Matyszczyk |first=Chris |date=2015-02-08 |title=Samsung's warning: Our Smart TVs record your living room chatter |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/privacy/samsungs-warning-our-smart-tvs-record-your-living-room-chatter/ |website=CNET |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> The third-party contractor processing the voice data was Nuance Communications, a voice-to-text company.<ref name="computerworld-epic">{{Cite web |title=EPIC files FTC complaint about Samsung's Smart TV 'surveillance' |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/1618951/epic-files-ftc-complaint-about-samsungs-smart-tv-surveillance.html |website=Computerworld |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref>
 
Samsung published a blog post on February 10, 2015 titled "Samsung Smart TVs Do Not Monitor Living Room Conversations."<ref name="samsung-response-voice">{{Cite web |date=2015-02-10 |title=Samsung Smart TVs Do Not Monitor Living Room Conversations |url=https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-smart-tvs-do-not-monitor-living-room-conversations |website=Samsung Newsroom |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> Samsung clarified that voice data was only transmitted when users pressed an activation button on the remote control to perform a search, & updated its privacy policy to explain this mechanism.<ref name="samsung-response-voice" />
 
EPIC (the Electronic Privacy Information Center) filed a formal complaint with the FTC on February 24, 2015, alleging Samsung violated the FTC Act, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), & the Cable Communications Policy Act.<ref name="epic-complaint">{{Cite web |title=Samsung "SmartTV" Complaint |url=https://epic.org/documents/samsung-smarttv-complaint/ |publisher=Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> EPIC alleged that Samsung routinely intercepted private communications in the home & marketed its smart TVs to children under 13 without obtaining parental consent as required by COPPA.<ref name="epic-complaint" />
 
A security researcher then discovered that Samsung was transmitting some voice recordings unencrypted, in plain text.<ref name="computerworld-epic" /> Samsung later conceded it had not deployed the software necessary to encrypt these transmissions.<ref name="epic-complaint" />
 
In March 2017, WikiLeaks' "Vault 7" data dump revealed that the CIA had developed a hacking tool codenamed "Weeping Angel" that targeted Samsung Smart TVs.<ref name="cbsnews-weeping-angel">{{Cite web |title=WikiLeaks says CIA hacked Samsung smart TVs |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cia-hacked-samsung-smart-tvs-wikileaks-vault-7/ |website=CBS News |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> According to the leaked engineering notes, the tool was co-developed with MI5, installed via USB, & placed the TV into a "Fake-Off" mode where the screen appeared powered down but the microphone remained active, recording room audio.<ref name="wikileaks-weeping-angel">{{Cite web |title=Weeping Angel (Extending) Engineering Notes |url=https://wikileaks.org/ciav7p1/cms/page_12353643.html |publisher=WikiLeaks |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref>
 
=== Post-purchase advertising ===
 
Samsung displays advertisements on smart TVs that consumers have already purchased.<ref name="flatpanelshd-ads">{{Cite web |title=Samsung TV owners complain about increasingly obtrusive ads |url=https://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1583755244 |website=FlatpanelsHD |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> Users have reported ads appearing on the home screen & during normal TV use.<ref name="flatpanelshd-ads" />
 
Samsung operates a dedicated advertising division, Samsung Ads, which sells targeted advertising across its TV ecosystem. Samsung Ads promotes access to "TV viewing data from the world's #1 Smart TV footprint" & first-party data from Samsung devices to help advertisers reach audiences.<ref name="samsung-ads">{{Cite web |title=Samsung Ads |url=https://www.samsung.com/us/business/samsungads/ |publisher=Samsung |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref>
 
== See also ==
 
* [[Texas Attorney General sues multiple TV makers over ACR user data collection]]
* [[Vizio]]
* [[Right to Repair]]
 
== References ==


[[Texas Attorney General sues multiple TV makers over ACR user data collection]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
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[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Samsung]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Samsung TVs}}
[[Category:Privacy]]
[[Category:Smart TVs]]
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