Does a Toshiba TV have ACR?

Yes. Toshiba TVs use automatic content recognition (ACR) to track what is on screen for ads, under the name "Automatic Content Recognition".

Is my Toshiba TV spying on me?

It tracks what is on screen for ads unless "Automatic Content Recognition" is off. The steps are above.

Will turning it off break anything?

No. Apps, inputs and updates keep working. You may lose personalised recommendations.

Menus can change with firmware updates, so check again after a big one.

How to turn off ACR on a Toshiba TV

Toshiba calls it "Automatic Content Recognition". It is in the privacy settings. Here is exactly where.

Short answer

Yes, a Toshiba TV uses ACR, called "Automatic Content Recognition". To turn it off: Open Settings, then Preferences, then open Privacy Settings, then select "Automatic Content Recognition" and turn it off, then highlight "Device Usage Data" and press Select so it reads OFF, then do the same for "Collect App Usage Data", then do the same for "Interest-based Ads", then if an antenna is plugged straight into the TV, also opt out of over-the-air viewing data on this screen. Amazon's privacy FAQ calls it "Over-the-air Viewing Data" but does not give the exact row name.

Last checked 23 September 2026. Plain text version

The steps

The setting: “Automatic Content Recognition”

Toshiba Fire TV 2019–2025

Applies to Fire TV Edition televisions

Fire TV splits the screen in three: the name of the screen on the left, the list in the middle, and help for the highlighted row on the right.

Our drawing of step 1, not a photograph.

Our drawing of step 2, not a photograph.

Fire TV draws no switches; the word under each name is its state. Televisions also list Automatic Content Recognition here, which we have not drawn because we have not seen where it sits.

Our drawing of step 4, not a photograph.

Our drawing of step 5, not a photograph.

Our drawing of step 6, not a photograph.

Open Settings, then Preferences
Open Privacy Settings
Select "Automatic Content Recognition" and turn it off
Highlight "Device Usage Data" and press Select so it reads OFF
Do the same for "Collect App Usage Data"
Do the same for "Interest-based Ads"
If an antenna is plugged straight into the TV, also opt out of over-the-air viewing data on this screen. Amazon's privacy FAQ calls it "Over-the-air Viewing Data" but does not give the exact row name.

Other switches worth turning off

Applies to All Fire TV devices

Settings > Preferences > Featured Content: turn off video and audio autoplay
Settings > Alexa: disable if unused

Questions

Does a Toshiba TV have ACR?: Yes. Toshiba TVs use automatic content recognition (ACR) to track what is on screen for ads, under the name "Automatic Content Recognition".
How do I turn off ACR on a Toshiba TV?: Yes, a Toshiba TV uses ACR, called "Automatic Content Recognition". To turn it off: Open Settings, then Preferences, then open Privacy Settings, then select "Automatic Content Recognition" and turn it off, then highlight "Device Usage Data" and press Select so it reads OFF, then do the same for "Collect App Usage Data", then do the same for "Interest-based Ads", then if an antenna is plugged straight into the TV, also opt out of over-the-air viewing data on this screen. Amazon's privacy FAQ calls it "Over-the-air Viewing Data" but does not give the exact row name.
Is my Toshiba TV spying on me?: It tracks what is on screen for ads unless "Automatic Content Recognition" is off. The steps are above.
Will turning it off break anything?: No. Apps, inputs and updates keep working. You may lose personalised recommendations.
Does it stay off?: Menus can change with firmware updates, so check again after a big one.

Keep it off with The Box

Updates can move the switch. The Box blocks the tracking on your network instead. It is not built yet.