The researchers have discovered that automatic content recognition (ACR) tracking is active most of the time, even when TVs are used as “dumb” HDMI devices. In other words, the TV manufacturers are monitoring your private moments as well. There’s apparently no monitoring of streaming content in the UK, but there is in the US.
The only good news is that these TVs can seemingly be configured to disable ACR, provided the owners know this activity is taking place and are able to find the right settings. (I recently looked at the configuration of our TVs again, and understanding the various settings was far from easy.)
If you’re concerned about this, you may want to consider buying a commercial display, which is basically just a giant monitor. They’re meant for businesses and hospitals, so they’re going to be expensive. Many brands such as LG and Samsung sell commercial displays.
Anothet alternative is to buy a projector. Projectors offer a much more “cinematic” experience, and they can be cheaper in comparison to commercial displays. Although there are a few projectors that have smart (anti-)features, most of them lack these. For a projector, I recommend the BenQ HT2060. It’s confirmed to have no smart features, and supports HDR.
Another alternative is don’t connect your TV to the internet.
I’ve always wondered if smart TVs have some other way to phone home with your info in lieu of a WiFi connection like SIM cards or LoRa solutions.
https://www.sceptre.com/TV/4K-UHD-TV-category1category73.html
This brand sells all non-smart TVs at non-commecial prices.
Thank you!