Most smart TVs can log what you watch, even from cable or a Blu-ray player. Nine steps shut it off, and the last one works on any brand.
Automatic content recognition samples what is playing to identify shows, ads and channels, including from antennas, cable boxes and anything plugged into HDMI.
Settings > All Settings > General & Privacy > Terms & Privacy (or Privacy Choices). Turn off Viewing Information Services. Names shift a little by model year.
Settings > All Settings > General > System > Additional Settings, then turn Live Plus off. Also check Viewing Information under Privacy & Terms > User Agreements.
Settings > Privacy > Smart TV Experience. Uncheck Use info from TV inputs, which some sets label Automatic Content Recognition. It covers antenna and HDMI viewing.
Newer Vizio OS sets: All Settings > Privacy & Legal > Viewing Data. Older ones: Admin & Privacy. Vizio says switching it off won't affect the TV's performance.
Google TV itself skips ACR, but brands add it. On Sony, find Samba Interactive TV in Settings and turn it off. On TCL, opt out under Privacy > User Agreements.
Amazon says Fire TV doesn't use ACR, but Settings > Preferences > Privacy Settings has Collect App and Over-the-Air Usage on by default. Switch it off.
In that same Fire TV menu, turn off Interest-Based Ads. On Roku, open Settings > Privacy > Advertising. You still see ads, just not ones built from your habits.
Stream from a separate box and never join the TV to Wi-Fi: with no connection, it has nowhere to send data. After any factory reset, recheck every toggle.
Most TVs need just one or two toggles. Own an LG? The company just denied its sets record conversations. Here's what it said and which settings to check.