The Verge surveyed 11 major TV and streaming device manufacturers regarding their data collection practices. The inquiry included 17 questions focused on microphone usage, audio storage, and the collection of screenshots or video recordings of user content.
Companies including Amazon, Apple, Google, LG, Roku, Samsung, and TCL provided responses. Hisense did not respond to multiple inquiries, while Panasonic, Sony, and Vizio declined to answer specific questions.
Manufacturers generally stated that microphone activation requires user consent or physical interaction, such as pressing a button or using a wake word. Some companies noted that voice data may be processed in the cloud to fulfill requests.
The investigation addressed Automatic Content Recognition (ACR), a technology used to identify viewed content for ad targeting and recommendations. While users can often opt out of ACR, research from Northeastern University suggests that data transmission may persist on some devices after opting out.
Companies like Apple and Google clarified that their platforms do not use ACR to capture screenshots or video recordings. LG stated that its ACR system generates audio fingerprints rather than storing visual data from the screen.
