Samsung and LG Smart TVs are watching you. Here’s how to stop it

The article discusses how major TV manufacturers, particularly Samsung and LG, use Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) technology to collect data on viewers' viewing behavior. The televisions generate hash values or "fingerprints" of the visible and audible content being displayed, which are then sent to the companies' servers for analysis. The data collected can be used to display targeted advertisements or sold to advertising companies. The study found that the televisions collect data not only from the current television program but also from any content fed in via HDMI, including console games or DVDs, even if they contain private recordings. To prevent this data collection, users can opt-out of the "Viewing Information Services" or "Live Plus" features in the TV settings. The article provides instructions on how to do this for Samsung and LG televisions, and suggests checking the manual for other manufacturers.