Does opting out of smart TV tracking work? Research finds “suspicious” traffic.

What BBN said about it

1. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorResearchers at RTINGS found that switching off automatic content recognition, the feature that identifies what's on your screen, changed network traffic on Samsung, LG and Sony TVs, Ars Technica reports.

2. 

   Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorPro one: the setting does something. Con one: on a TCL QM8K, the testers couldn't separate that tracking from ordinary background chatter.

3. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorSo it might be tracking you, or it might just be talking.

4. 

   Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorPro two: on Samsung, LG and Sony, the traffic stopped or changed dramatically when the privacy setting went off.

5. 

   Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorCon two: much of it is encrypted, so researchers only judged destinations, timing and volume.

6. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThey watched the envelopes. They couldn't open them.

7. 

   Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorPro three: the Federal Trade Commission fined Vizio over this very thing.

8. 

   Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorCon three: Netflix traffic on a Samsung S95F didn't vanish when the setting was disabled. I'd call that a TV with a diary.

9. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorRoku also warns that data collected before you switch it off may still be retained. Past tense, but still on file.

10. 

    Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorLovely. A tracker you can only ask to stop remembering. Two and a half stars, and the half is for the remote.

11. 

    Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorKenji wants one anyway. He says it's the only thing in his house that pays attention to him.