The smart TVs (which unlike traditional TVs are connected to the Internet and have apps and a dedicated operating system) do not spy on us, but many models can collect detailed information on what we watch and how we interact with the TV, including data from the operating system of them and the apps that are installed on them. This data is often combined with that collected from external devices such as Google’s Chromecast, Apple TV and Amazon Fire Stick, building a detailed profile of our interests and habits. The main objective of this data collection is to monetize through targeted advertisingsimilarly to what already happens with smartphones, tablets and computers. To protect your privacy, you can take some measures, such as deactivating the automatic content recognition functions.
What data is collected by smart TVs
As he states Rowenna Fieldingdirector of data protection consultancy Miss IG Geek «The aim is to collect as much information as possible about your behaviour, interests, preferences and demographics so that they can be monetised, mainly through targeted advertising.”. There consumer profiling carried out by smart TVs it is as complex as it is invasive.
Among the most invasive technologies we find the so-called ACR (Automatic Content Recognition), or the automatic content recognitiona feature that tracks everything that comes across your TV screen – from streaming TV shows to DVDs and even games. This active monitoring, often enabled by defaultsends information about the content viewed to producers and a network of advertisers. The ACR can identify any content by comparing audio and video with databases of visual and sound data, allowing user preferences to be tracked in detail to offer personalized advertising.
Smart TVs also don’t just observe. Some of them include microphones and voice activation functions which, depending on the models, they can intercept voice commands and other conversations picked up from the environment. This audio data is transmitted to manufacturers or third parties for further processing, thus increasing the risks of privacy violations. Even streaming services like Netflix And Amazon Prime Videoaccessible via smart TV, participate in data collection. While these services claim to use the information primarily to optimize your viewing experience, they collect a wide range of information, from device identifiers to geolocation to payment information.
A further level of complexity is given by the so-called cross-device tracking. With this technique, the data from the smart TV is crossed with that from other devices connected to the home network, such as smartphones, computers and home automation devices. By combining geolocation data, browsing history and social media information with viewing habits, companies are able to create a very detailed portrait of the user. This data can be “sold” to third parties, who use it for advertising purposes, making it difficult to maintain control over personal information even after it has been transmitted.
Not to mention the tracking that takes place via i cookies which, just as happens on the websites visited by your devices, track and identify the user to create a detailed advertising profile. The market for television data is so large that some smart TV companies have long adopted the practice of sharing data with advertising companies and brokers. A well-known case is that of Vicea company that, in 2018, settled a lawsuit for violation of privacy (paying out 17 million dollars to settle the matter), as it collected data on viewing habits without explicit consent from the user.
Manufacturers justify such practices as necessary to guarantee the “personalization” of contents and improve the quality of the service. Unfortunately, however, the user is not always clearly informed of what data is collected and how it is used, and deactivation options are often difficult to configure. It is no coincidence that the aforementioned Fending claims that «Most apps installed on your smart TV will spy for a vast network of advertisers and data brokers».
How to protect your privacy from smart TVs
Far be it from us to engage in psychological terrorism or demonize the use of smart TVs, in light of what some experts have said in various international media, we suggest you defend privacy from smart TVs by limiting the data they collect. In this regard, for example, you could disable ACR in your privacy settings, disable advertising features and cover or disable microphones and any cameras possibly available on your smart TV. It could also be useful Set up a guest network for your home devices And update your TV software regularly. Also periodically reset the advertising identifier (AdID) helps limit advertisers’ ability to track.
If you don’t know how to carry out these operations, you should be able to find instructions on the website of the manufacturer of your smart TV or on online portals specialized in this type of topic, perhaps by searching on Google “how to (operation you intend to do) on (smart TV brand and model)”.
