"These days, most mainstream TVs use automatic content recognition (ACR), a type of ad-tracking technology that collects data on everything you watch and sends it to a central database. To understand how ACR works, imagine a constant, real-time Shazam-like service running in the background while your TV is on. It identifies content displayed on your screen, including programs from cable TV boxes, streaming services, or gaming consoles."
"According to The Markup, ACR can capture and identify up to 7,200 images per hour, or approximately two images every second. This extensive tracking provides valuable insights for marketers and content distributors, as it reveals connections between viewers' personal information and their preferred content. By "personal information," I mean email addresses, IP addresses -- and even your physical street address."
"Manufacturers then use this information to understand your viewing habits and deliver highly targeted ads. What's the incentive behind this invasive technology? According to market research firm eMarketer, in 2022, advertisers spent an estimated $18.6 billion on smart TV ads, and these numbers are expected to continue rising. By understanding what viewers watch and engage with, marketers can make decisions on content recommendations to create bespoke advertising placements."
Smart TVs use automatic content recognition (ACR) to continuously monitor on-screen content, capturing screenshots and matching them against large media databases. ACR can identify programs from cable boxes, streaming services, and gaming consoles and reportedly captures up to 7,200 images per hour, roughly two images per second. Collected data links viewing habits to personal identifiers such as email addresses, IP addresses, and physical street addresses. Manufacturers and advertisers use these insights to recommend content and deliver highly targeted ads. Advertisers spent an estimated $18.6 billion on smart TV ads in 2022. Turning off ACR can reduce tracking but often requires manual effort.
Read at ZDNET
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]