Samsung Smart TV (ACR)

Why this rating

Samsung's ACR captures screen frames roughly every 500ms even over HDMI input feeding Samsung Ads, and Texas sued Samsung in December 2025 for 'mass surveillance,' settling in February 2026 with new disclosure and opt-out requirements.

What it is

• Microphone
• Requires a cloud account
• Works offline

Manufacturer

Samsung Electronics

Category

Smart TV

Model years

2015-present

Market status

Current

Companion app

SmartThings

The evidence 6

Independent research, regulatory action, lawsuits, breaches and journalism about this device — the "what actually happens" axis. Each links to its source.

1. S5Court Rules Docket — TX v. Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense, TCL (2025-12-15)
   Lawsuit · CourtRules.app · 2025-12-15

   Docket record of the Texas Attorney General's consolidated lawsuit against Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense and TCL over smart TV ACR data practices.

   Why it matters here: Court docket record for the Texas v. Samsung and other TV makers consolidated suit.

2. S5Texas Sues Biggest TV Makers, Alleging Smart TVs Spy on Users Without Consent
   Lawsuit · Ars Technica · 2025-12-01

   Texas AG sued Samsung, LG, Sony, TCL and Hisense in December 2025 alleging their smart TVs conduct automatic content recognition amounting to mass surveillance without adequate consent.

   Why it matters here: Texas AG lawsuit directly names Samsung's ACR-based smart TV tracking.

3. S5AG Paxton Sues 5 Major TV Manufacturers for Allegedly Spying on Texans
   Lawsuit · The Epoch Times · 2025-12-01

   Additional coverage confirming the December 2025 Texas lawsuit against five smart-TV manufacturers over ACR-based tracking.

   Why it matters here: Additional coverage confirms Samsung is a named defendant in the Texas smart-TV lawsuit.

4. S3Samsung TVs Stop Spying on Viewers in Texas — How to Disable ACR Anywhere
   Journalism · Malwarebytes Labs · 2026-03-01

   Reports that Samsung settled the Texas lawsuit in February 2026 and rolled out an easier way to disable ACR tracking for all users.

   Why it matters here: Reports Samsung settled with Texas and rolled out an easier ACR opt-out.

5. S3Samsung Agrees to Be More Upfront About the Data Its TVs Collect
   Journalism · PCMag · 2026-02-01

   Coverage of Samsung's settlement terms requiring clearer ACR disclosures following the Texas lawsuit.

   Why it matters here: Confirms settlement terms requiring clearer Samsung ACR disclosures.

6. S2Consumer Reports: How to Turn Off Smart TV Snooping Features
   Ngo review · Consumer Reports · 2023-01-01

   Consumer Reports guide documenting which major smart TV brands track viewing via ACR and how to disable it.

   Why it matters here: Consumer Reports guide documents Samsung's ACR tracking and opt-out process.

Where your data goes

Third parties this device's data has flowed to, and on what basis. An ended tag means the flow has verifiably stopped — it stays listed for the record.

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