How to limit Roku’s data collection and ad tracking
Roku’s privacy policy reveals extensive tracking of viewing habits, including automatic content recognition on smart TVs, but users can limit some of this data collection through their settings.
What Roku collects
Roku devices collect a wide range of information about users’ viewing habits, according to the company’s privacy policy. The data includes standard device identifiers such as MAC and IP addresses, operating system, Wi-Fi network name and connection, and basic Bluetooth details. Roku also uses cookies, pixel tags, web beacons and similar tools to capture information about online activities across different services, including pages visited and browsing behavior.
Automatic content recognition
On Roku smart TVs, automatic content recognition (ACR) technology goes further. It records what users watch or access through the TV’s antenna, cable box, game console, media player or other connected devices, including live TV from streaming channels. ACR helps deliver targeted ads and powers features like recommendations and ‘More Ways to Watch’. Users can turn off ACR by going to Settings > Privacy > Smart TV Experience. However, the policy notes that Roku still receives viewing information through other methods, such as third-party streaming apps, the Roku Channel, the Streaming Store and the home screen.
Advertising and voice settings
To limit advertising tracking, users can disable personalized ads in Settings > Privacy > Advertising. This applies across all Roku apps and linked third-party services. There is also an option to reset the advertising identifier and review sensitive ad content. For Roku Smart Home devices, data choices can be managed through the mobile app or website. Roku says video and audio recordings from these products may be used to improve services, and consent is not required. Under Privacy > Voice, users can block microphone access or turn off speech recognition on their TV. Voice recordings can be removed through the Roku account’s Voice Settings page.
State-level rights
Users in some US states have additional rights. California residents can ask Roku not to sell or share their personal information, limit the use of sensitive data, and request a yearly summary or deletion via the Privacy Choices page. Other states with opt-out opportunities include Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Iowa and Utah. Browser users can review and edit privacy settings on Roku’s Privacy Choices page.
