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Study highlights privacy risks in smart TV tracking
15 November 2024
A new study co-authored by Dr Anna Mandalari has uncovered privacy risks in smart TV tracking technology. The research shows how Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) collects and transmits user data, even from external devices like laptops.
Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) is a feature enabled by default on many smart TVs. It captures snapshots of what users are watching and sends this data to the TV manufacturers. These manufacturers can share the data with third parties, such as advertisers. The study reveals that ACR records both live TV and content from external devices, raising critical privacy questions.
The study, published in ACM Internet Measurement Conference (IMC) 2024, investigated how and when smart TVs collect user viewing data via ACR for the first time.
Dr Mandalari explained the significance of her work.
“The average user is unlikely to know what ACR is or that they can opt out. Our findings highlight the need for manufacturers to improve transparency and ensure explicit user consent.
The research team found that opting out of ACR is a complex process involving multiple settings, making it difficult for users to fully disable the tracking. The study also identified discrepancies between the volume of data collected and the information disclosed under GDPR requests, suggesting a lack of transparency.
The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which promotes openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals, visited the IoT Laboratory at UCL Electronic & Electrical Engineering during data collection for this study. The ICO is developing guidance for Internet of Things (IoT) devices, set for consultation in 2024.
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