Today's smart TVs are not limited to just watching TV channels. These have internet connectivity, apps, voice commands, mobile casting and many other smart features. This is the reason why some models do not turn off completely even after turning off the screen by pressing the power button on the remote. They can remain in standby mode with some systems active in the background.
In such a situation, along with the features of smart TV, the question of user privacy also becomes important. Let us understand which features can work after switching off the TV and which settings should be kept in mind for your privacy.
What happens on Smart TV after the screen turns off?
When you turn off the TV with the remote, many smart TVs go into standby mode instead of powering off completely. During this time some hardware and software of the device may remain active.
The TV's network system can maintain a connection to the Internet in the background. It can be used to check software updates, sync data, cast from mobile and support some voice features.
However, which features remain active in standby depends on the TV model and its settings.
What is ACR and why is it important in Smart TV?
Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) in Smart TV is a technology which can be used for identifying the content playing on the screen.
The research studied network traffic related to ACR on smart TV platforms like Samsung and LG. Such systems can identify information related to the content being watched on the TV and match it with the relevant database or service.
The point to be noted here is that the availability and behavior of ACR may vary depending on the TV model and user's privacy settings. Therefore, the most important thing regarding this is to understand your TV settings.
How to protect your privacy in Smart TV?
If you don't want certain data-collection or personalization features of the TV to be active, you can check the settings. For this, go to the Privacy, System or Terms & Privacy section of the TV.
Pay special attention to these options here:
• ACR or Viewing Information
• Personalized Advertising
• Voice Recognition
• Content Recommendations
• Data Sharing
Many TVs have the option to turn off features you don't need.
Keep TV and router updated
To keep Smart TV safe, it is also important to install its firmware and security updates on time. Apart from this, the router to which the TV is connected should also be kept updated.
If an old smart device in the home is no longer in use, disconnecting it from the network can also be a good security step.
Keep these things in mind while buying a TV
When buying a new Smart TV, don't just focus on screen size, picture quality and price. It will also be beneficial to know about its privacy settings, data collection policy, voice features and options like ACR.
The more connected smart TVs are becoming, the more important it has become for users to understand their privacy settings. Therefore, after setting up the TV, take a few minutes to review the privacy settings.
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