Samsung · Samsung Privacy Policy · View original document ↗

Smart TV Viewing Data Collection (ACR Technology)

Medium severity Medium confidence Explicitdocumentlanguage Unique · 0 of 325 platforms
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Document Record

What it is

Samsung Smart TVs use technology that recognizes and records what you are watching, including cable, satellite, and streaming content, and uses this to serve targeted ads.

This analysis describes what Samsung's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology

ConductAtlas Analysis

Why it matters (compliance & governance perspective)

ACR technology creates a detailed record of your television viewing habits, including content from third-party services, which Samsung may use for advertising purposes and share with partners.

Interpretive note: The specific opt-out mechanism for ACR on Samsung Smart TVs and the exact categories of third parties receiving viewing data are not fully detailed in the policy text provided.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

If you own a Samsung Smart TV, the policy authorizes collection of your viewing history across all content sources using ACR, which may be shared with advertising partners to target you based on your TV-watching behavior.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.
  • Delete Your Data
    On your Samsung Smart TV, navigate to Settings, then Terms and Privacy, then find the Viewing Information Services or Interest-Based Advertising option and turn it off to disable ACR data collection.

How other platforms handle this

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▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
If you use a Samsung Smart TV, we may collect information about the content you watch, including video and audio content, information about your cable, satellite, or other service provider, and information about the ads you see on your TV. This information is collected using automatic content recognition (ACR) technology, which identifies content being displayed on your TV screen.

— Excerpt from Samsung's Samsung Privacy Policy

ConductAtlas Analysis

Institutional analysis (Compliance & governance intelligence)

REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: ACR-based data collection by smart TV manufacturers has been the subject of FTC scrutiny and enforcement, including the 2017 Vizio settlement, which established that collecting and sharing viewing data without adequate consent constitutes an unfair or deceptive practice under the FTC Act. The Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA) may apply to the collection and disclosure of video viewing records, depending on how Samsung is characterized and how data is used. State privacy laws including CCPA and CPRA classify viewing history as personal information subject to disclosure and opt-out rights. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: High. ACR-based data collection has a documented FTC enforcement history and is a recurring subject of regulatory and legislative attention. Failure to provide adequately prominent opt-out mechanisms for ACR may increase enforcement risk. JURISDICTION FLAGS: California residents have a right to opt out of the sale or sharing of viewing history data under CPRA. VPPA claims have been filed in federal courts against smart TV manufacturers and streaming services, and the statute's applicability to Samsung's ACR practices may be litigated depending on how the data is disclosed and to whom. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: B2B customers deploying Samsung Smart TVs in commercial settings such as hotels, healthcare facilities, or offices should assess whether ACR data collection is active on those devices and whether it is disclosed to the end users of those TVs. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Legal teams should confirm that Samsung's ACR opt-out is presented at TV setup and accessible from device settings, and that opt-out requests are honored across all connected Samsung services. The intersection of ACR data with advertising partner data sharing agreements should be reviewed for VPPA compliance.

Full compliance analysis

Regulatory citations, enforcement risk, and due diligence action items.

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Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC has enforcement authority over unfair or deceptive practices related to smart TV ACR data collection, as established in prior consent decrees in the sector.
    File a complaint →

Applicable regulations

CCPA/CPRA
California, USA
Connecticut Data Privacy Act Amendments
US-CT
ePrivacy Directive
European Union
FTC Act Section 5
United States Federal
GDPR
European Union
Indiana Consumer Data Protection Act
US-IN
Kentucky Consumer Data Protection Act
US-KY
Universal Opt-Out Mechanism Expansion 2026
US

Provision details

Document information
Document
Samsung Privacy Policy
Entity
Samsung
Document last updated
May 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
May 10, 2026
Last verified
May 10, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-007956
Document ID
CA-D-00571
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
6d49ed654de6ff21e7f1e737dfe78ff09608abdd9653fa8ba78d6946a8606928
Analysis generated
May 10, 2026 00:53 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Samsung
Document: Samsung Privacy Policy
Record ID: CA-P-007956
Captured: 2026-05-10 00:53:32 UTC
SHA-256: 6d49ed654de6ff21…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/samsung/samsung-privacy-policy/smart-tv-viewing-data-collection-acr-technology/
Accessed: May 13, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

Other risks in this policy

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Samsung's Smart TV Viewing Data Collection (ACR Technology) clause do?

ACR technology creates a detailed record of your television viewing habits, including content from third-party services, which Samsung may use for advertising purposes and share with partners.

How does this clause affect you?

If you own a Samsung Smart TV, the policy authorizes collection of your viewing history across all content sources using ACR, which may be shared with advertising partners to target you based on your TV-watching behavior.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Samsung?

No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Samsung.