What is ACR data in TV advertising?
ACR (automatic content recognition) data is information collected by smart TVs about what is on the screen, identified by matching snippets of audio or video against a reference library. TV makers and data companies use it, from viewers who opt in, to measure ad exposure and viewing habits and to target ads across linear and streaming TV.
ACR works regardless of source: cable, streaming, game consoles or antenna. TV manufacturers such as Samsung, LG and Vizio (owned by Walmart since December 2024) run ACR programmes, and companies such as iSpot and Samba use ACR data for measurement.
Privacy regulators have scrutinized it: the US FTC settled with Vizio in 2017 over collecting viewing data without consent. ACR data powers Addressable TV and cross-platform reach and frequency measurement.