{
  "id": 16549890,
  "title": "Samsung Smart TV Reportedly Collects User Data For Targeted Ads",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/26/samsung-smart-tv-reportedly-collects-user-data-for-targeted-ads",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-26T02:42:35.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Lowyat.NET",
    "slug": "lowyat-net",
    "url": "https://www.lowyat.net/2026/408333/samsung-smart-tv-user-data/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A cybersecurity researcher alleges that Samsung smart TVs secretly gather user data for personalized advertising. According to the researcher, the 2025 Samsung TV they investigated displayed highly targeted ads, prompting them to delve deeper into the device's software. Through reverse engineering Samsung's Tizen operating system, the researcher discovered code that tracked user behavior, such as watched videos, skipped ads, and playback progress. They also found an AI model that analyzed this data and a cross-device identifier for targeted advertising. Additionally, the researcher identified potential audio capture through connected devices like soundbars and Bluetooth speakers. However, these claims have not been independently verified, and the researcher disputes claims of continuous recording, stating the tools they used were only for local reverse-engineering purposes and not to exploit vulnerabilities. LG, another South Korean smart TV manufacturer, has faced similar accusations but maintains that its Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) feature only identifies content through audio fingerprinting and is optional and disabled by default.",
  "summary": "Apparently, nothing is sacred anymore when it comes to privacy. While fears of smartphones and other personal devices secretly listening to conversations or collecting user data have been around for years, these concerns have now supposedly reached another device in your household: your smart TV. A cybersecurity researcher claims that Samsung smart TVs collect extensive […] The post Samsung Smart…",
  "key_points": [
    "Samsung smart TVs secretly collect user data for targeted ads.",
    "Reverse engineering of Samsung's Tizen OS reveals tracking code.",
    "Potential audio capture through soundbars and Bluetooth speakers."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Integrating behavioral tracking and AI analysis into television software transforms consumer electronics into sophisticated data collection tools designed to fuel highly personalized advertising ecosystems.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}