Your Samsung fridge may start showing ads you can't turn off - but there's a workaround

"Earlier this year, at a presentation in New York City, "a world where Samsung Ads brings your brand message to every screen in the connected home and beyond." Samsung appears to be moving forward with that goal as it's conducting a pilot program to show "promotions and curated advertisements" on certain Samsung Family Hub refrigerator models when a screen is idle."

"Naturally, customers aren't happy. Several Reddit users expressed that this addition alone would make them never purchase a Samsung smart fridge, some vowed to specifically avoid the advertisers, and others voiced frustration at how much it would change the aesthetic of their fridge. Side note, let this serve as a reminder: screens are creeping onto more and more devices in our homes, and even though these screens can bring benefits (like adding items to your grocery order), there's always a chance they might eventually show ads."

"How to avoid ads on your Samsung fridge You do have the option to dismiss an ad, but that just means that particular advertisement won't show up again. From Samsung's explanation, it doesn't seem that there's an option to turn off the ads entirely. There may be a workaround to avoid them, though."

Samsung is piloting advertisements on certain Family Hub refrigerator models, showing promotions and curated ads on the cover screen when the display is idle. Update notes state advertisements will appear on Cover Screen Weather, Color, and Daily Board themes. Users can dismiss individual ads but cannot fully turn off ads according to Samsung's explanation. Some customers on Reddit said the change would stop them from buying Samsung smart fridges, and others criticized the aesthetic impact and vowed to avoid advertisers. Screens across home devices offer benefits like grocery ordering but also create new ad surfaces.

Read at ZDNET