Smart TVs gather viewing data around the clock, with controls few users find
The television in most UK living rooms is no longer just a screen. Modern smart TVs run apps, track what is watched and connect to the internet around the clock. That makes them among the most data-hungry gadgets in the home, and among the least examined.
Most sets sold in recent years are smart by default. Even households that bought a television mainly for picture quality are likely to own a device that logs viewing habits, serves personalised adverts and communicates with servers run by the manufacturer and its partners.
Controls to limit this are usually available, but they are rarely found on the first day of setup, when most people click through the prompts as quickly as possible.
Background activity on the set
Many smart TVs use a feature that identifies what is on screen, whether it comes from a broadcast, a games console or a streaming app. The data can be used to build a profile of viewing habits and to target advertising. Manufacturers typically describe the feature in settings menus using labels such as viewing information, interest-based adverts or content recognition. The wording differs between brands, making it harder to locate.
Voice control is a second area. Sets with a built-in microphone listen for a wake word or a button press, and voice commands can be processed on remote servers. Some televisions also carry cameras for video calls or gesture controls.
Apps and accounts form a third. Signing in to a manufacturer account, or to a streaming service, links viewing to an identity. Those accounts are covered by UK data protection law, which gives people rights to see, correct and delete personal data held about them.
Privacy settings to check
Settings menus vary by brand and software version, but the same areas tend to turn up. Options are usually found under General, Support, Terms and Policies, Privacy or Advanced Settings. The sections worth reading cover viewing data, personalised advertising, voice services and any option to share usage information with third parties.
Where there is an option to switch off viewing-data collection or interest-based advertising, it can be disabled without stopping the television from working. Some features, such as home-screen recommendations, may become less tailored as a result.
A physical switch or menu option to disable the microphone is the simplest way to stop voice features listening. Without one, voice control can usually be turned off in the settings, and the remote's button can still be used when needed.
Any camera should be covered or disabled if it is not in use. Some sets include a sliding shutter. Where there is none, opaque tape is a low-tech fix.
Software updates and support periods
Smart TVs run operating systems that need security updates, as phones and laptops do. Leaving automatic updates switched on is advisable. Manufacturers stop supporting older models after a number of years, and a set that no longer receives updates can carry known weaknesses.
When buying a new television, the length of the software support period can be checked with the retailer or on the manufacturer's website. Not every brand states it clearly.
Using a television without its smart features
A smart TV does not have to be used as one. Plenty of households run streaming through a separate box or stick, or through a games console, and leave the television's own platform alone. That cuts the number of companies with access to viewing habits and makes it simpler to swap the streaming device later without replacing the screen.
Disconnecting the television from the internet is another option. Without a Wi-Fi or ethernet connection, the built-in apps and tracking features cannot reach their servers. The set carries on working as an ordinary television, taking a signal from an aerial, a set-top box or a connected device. The drawback is that updates will not arrive, so the approach suits sets used only as a display.
Securing the home network
A television is one device among many on the home Wi-Fi, and its security is tied to the network around it. A strong Wi-Fi password and an up-to-date router matter. Many routers offer a guest network, which can keep the television and other connected gadgets separate from laptops and phones that hold more sensitive data.
Default passwords on the television's own accounts and streaming apps should be changed, and each service should have its own password rather than one reused across several.
Rights over viewing data
Under UK data protection law, people can ask a company what personal data it holds about them and, in many circumstances, request that it be deleted. Manufacturers and streaming services usually publish a privacy notice and a contact route for data requests. Where a company does not respond properly, complaints can be taken to the Information Commissioner's Office.
Before a television is sold, given away or recycled, a factory reset is essential. It wipes saved logins, app data and account links. Signing out of each service first, and removing the device from online accounts where possible, completes the process.
A half-hour routine
Half an hour spent on the task once is enough for most households. The steps are to open the privacy and advertising settings and switch off unwanted options, review the voice and camera controls, turn on automatic updates, decide whether the set's own apps are needed or a separate streaming device would do the job, and reset the television before it leaves the house for good.
None of it requires technical skill. It does require going past the setup screens that most people skip, which is where the choices about the data sit.
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