Now, your Amazon Fire TV device will not be able to track your data for marketing purposes or be able to look at the frequency and duration of your usage of downloaded apps. Select Interest-based Ads and turn this setting off.Go to Collect App Usage Data and turn this setting off.Choose Device Usage Data and turn this setting off.All settings can be found by going to Settings, then Preferences then Privacy Settings. The exact data it captures varies by each app and service. How to set up your new TV: Connections, HDMI cables, picture settings and more.

Here's what we found and what you can do about it on your respective new streaming players. While we've previously covered this for the TVs themselves, for this story we checked out all of the latest software on streamers from Amazon, Roku, Google and Apple. The good news is that you can turn it off. ACR works regardless of whether the images come through an app or an HDMI port like a cable box, Xbox or PlayStation. One tool for tracking is called Automatic Content Recognition, which is software that recognizes the images on your TV. While potentially frustrating, the ability to show ads helps keep costs down when buying a new streaming stick. Makers of software and hardware - from your new streaming stick to your TV itself - use it to 'improve' the products they offer, for example, by tailoring show recommendations and the ads they show you.

While modern TVs and streaming devices aren't tracking you with physical cameras, their software platforms are often following what you're doing from behind the scenes.Įvery major smart TV streaming platform captures your viewing data.

The downside? These devices are also watching what you watch. Starting at around $30, they can empower any TV to access Netflix, YouTube, HBO Max and other streaming services, allowing you to cut the cable TV cord and save even more money. Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV and Google Chromecast streaming devices are cheap, convenient and open up a world of entertainment.

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