Yes, an LG smart TV may identify what you watch—but LG describes that as an optional feature, not as the TV recording your screen. LG says its Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) can recognize supported content from live TV, HDMI-connected devices and LG Channels. It also says ACR does not run inside third-party apps such as Netflix or YouTube opened through LG Apps. Samsung, Roku and VIZIO describe their own viewing-data features, with different stated scopes and controls.
Those are manufacturers’ descriptions, not a guarantee about every model or market. A 2024 study measured network traffic on a limited set of LG and Samsung TVs and found behavior that broadly aligned with some of those distinctions. The practical answer is to check the privacy notice and settings on your particular TV.
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What “knowing what you watch” means on an LG TV
Automatic Content Recognition, or ACR, is a way to recognize content playing on a device. It is not a catch-all term for every kind of data a smart TV may process. Voice features, account information, device discovery and basic service operations are separate functions and should not be treated as the same thing as ACR.
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In its current US statement, LG says ACR creates an audio fingerprint using the TV’s internal audio processor to recognize supported content. LG says it does not take screenshots or record video for this process. Its statement says: “ACR does not collect or store voice recordings, other audio recordings, screenshots, screen images, or video recordings from the TV.” That is LG’s account of its system, not an independent audit of every LG television.
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Which sources LG says ACR can cover
LG says ACR may operate on supported Live TV, HDMI-connected devices and LG Channels. It says the feature does not operate within third-party streaming apps, including Netflix and YouTube, accessed through LG Apps. Availability can vary by market, and the notice and options shown on a specific TV may depend on its model and software.
LG also describes nearby Wi-Fi access-point and signal-strength information separately from device discovery. Where ACR is available and enabled, LG says that information may help estimate approximate location for ACR services. LG says device discovery helps the TV recognize and control external devices and is not used for household profiling, cross-device targeting or advertising segmentation.
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How LG says it uses viewing information—and what you can control
LG says ACR, voice recognition and interest-based advertising are optional, require separate agreements, and can be managed or withdrawn in TV settings. It says core functions remain usable without optional data-driven services in supported markets. LG also says ACR-related viewing information may be shared with LG Ad Solutions for audience segmentation and trend analysis, and for interest-based or cross-device advertising only where the user separately consented. LG notes that some sharing may be considered a sale or sharing under applicable privacy laws. These are the company’s descriptions of its practices.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchFor your set, open its privacy, terms or agreement settings and read the Smart Media Product agreements it displays. Look for separate choices relating to viewing information or ACR, voice recognition and personalized or interest-based advertising. Menu names and paths can differ by model and software, so a generic path may not match your screen. Review the choices again after a factory reset or major software change, when the TV may present agreements or setup questions again.
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- Access thousands of shows with Fire TV - Watch over 1.5 million streaming movies and TV episodes with access to thousands of channels, apps and Alexa skills, including Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, YouTube, Apple TV+, Disney+, ESPN+, Sling TV, Paramount+, and other services right from this TV.*
- DTS Virtual-X Sound - An immersive sound format creates a three-dimensional sound experience with your TV’s speakers.
- Supports HDMI ARC - Sends audio directly from the HDMI jack to a compatible soundbar or AV receiver, removing the need for an extra cable.
LG’s global privacy policy, last updated April 29, 2026, directs Smart TV and Smart Media Product users to a separate Smart Media Product Membership Privacy Policy. The general policy lists broad categories such as account, location and audio-visual information; those categories alone do not establish that a particular TV feature captures any specific item.
What other TV brands say they collect
The features below are not perfectly equivalent: one source may be a focused ACR explanation, while another describes a broader privacy-policy category. The table compares each company’s own public description, not independently verified behavior or a ranking of which brand collects the most.
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- Seamless streaming: With fast Wi-Fi and apps that launch in a snap, Roku Select Series TVs get you to your entertainment quickly. You get excellent picture quality, clear sound, automatic updates, and more. It’s simple to use. Hard to outgrow.
- TV, simplified: With setup that only takes minutes, a simple-to-navigate Home Screen, and an uncluttered remote control that does all you need—Roku makes it easier to watch the TV you love.
- A world of free entertainment: Enjoy a huge selection of free live TV, news, sports, movies, shows, and much more—all just a click away.
- More streaming, less searching: With personalized picks right on your Home Screen, quick access to the sports and entertainment you watch most, and fast and easy search in one place—the days of endless scrolling are over.
| Platform | Feature and stated viewing-data scope | Stated control or qualification |
|---|---|---|
| LG webOS TV | Optional ACR may recognize supported Live TV, HDMI and LG Channels using an audio fingerprint; LG says it does not operate inside third-party apps accessed through LG Apps. | LG says ACR, voice recognition and interest-based advertising are optional and managed separately in TV settings. Check the set’s Smart Media Product agreements and market-specific notice. |
| Samsung Smart TV | Samsung describes optional ACR through Viewing Information Services. Its US support page says the feature may process program viewing history, time watched, a Personalized Service ID and IP address. | Samsung says ACR can be turned off in TV settings. Its support page says the company does not record or watch displayed content; check the notice on the particular TV. |
| Roku TV / Smart TV Experience | Roku’s US privacy policy says ACR can collect what was watched or accessed—including programs, games, ads and channels—plus date, time and duration, through antenna and connected devices. | Roku describes enablement during setup or through a settings choice. Its policy says information may be stored or processed in countries where Roku or its providers operate. |
| VIZIO OS | VIZIO’s policy describes optional Viewing Data that may include programming, ads, games, HDMI-connected devices, apps, inputs, volume, channel and picture controls, device state, and device or network identifiers. | VIZIO says Viewing Data can be switched off in settings without affecting OS performance or online services. It separately describes Activity Data as needed for OS functionality. |
The distinction in VIZIO’s description matters: switching off its Viewing Data feature is not the same as stopping every kind of information processing the company describes. More generally, an ACR opt-out should not be read as a promise that all account, connectivity, security or service-function data stops.
What independent testing found—and what it cannot establish
A peer-reviewed paper presented at the 2024 ACM Internet Measurement Conference reported tests of LG and Samsung televisions in US and UK environments. The researchers observed ACR network traffic while watching linear television and using HDMI, and no ACR traffic in their tested Netflix and YouTube app scenarios. They also reported that opting out stopped traffic to ACR servers on the LG and Samsung sets they tested.
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The study found differences between its US and UK test environments, including ACR activity in a US platform-app scenario that the researchers did not observe in the UK. Its results are evidence about the tested devices and scenarios, not a census of smart TVs or proof of how every model behaves in 2026. It does not establish a market-wide percentage of TVs that collect viewing data.
The measurement supports a useful distinction: published policy tells you what a company says a feature can do, while network testing can show what happened under particular test conditions. Neither alone resolves every question about every model, software version and region.
How to make a more informed choice
- Check the notice on the TV itself. Read the viewing-information, ACR or Smart Media Product agreement shown for your model and market.
- Separate the controls. Review ACR or viewing data independently from voice recognition and interest-based advertising. A single privacy toggle may not cover all of them.
- Disable optional features you do not want. Use the TV’s settings to withdraw or turn off the relevant optional service, then confirm the choice is reflected in its agreement or privacy menu.
- Recheck after setup changes. A reset, software update or new agreement may change what choices are displayed or require you to confirm them again.
- Do not assume the brand name tells the whole story. Model, software, market and selected agreements affect what applies; published descriptions across brands are not enough to declare one universally more invasive than another.
What the Texas complaint does—and does not—show
A 2025 Texas complaint alleges unlawful or excessive LG collection and inadequate disclosure. Those are allegations in a legal complaint, not established facts or a court finding. LG’s 2026 newsroom statement rejects recent characterizations and gives the company’s account of ACR, voice features, device discovery, consent, data sharing and controls. The available material does not resolve the dispute through a final court ruling.
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