Here's Why Your Smart TVs Is Full Of Ads Now

Advertisements are constantly popping up in our faces, and are increasingly present on smart TVs. Companies that own and sell smart TVs, more specifically the operating systems they run on, are relying on ads as a tactic to increase profits. They're making money not just from other businesses that pay for ad space, but also from the people using the televisions. The increased access and versatility of streaming on TVs, devices, and apps have raised the need for advertising. The reason your smart TV contains so many ads is because of multiple subscription services blended with more affordable entertainment selections.

Smart TVs allow access to multiple streaming services, and they're available for a relatively low price –- like these smart TVs for less than $100 on Amazon. Most TV owners use their smart TV to watch multiple streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and more. Yet before even selecting the application in question, users are bombarded with ads on the TV home screen. Nielsen reported that in the first quarter of 2015, around 72.4% of American viewers watched TV on ad-supported devices such as smart TVs, cable, or broadcast, while streaming services accounted for 42.2% of total viewership. Advertisers want those numbers to go up with reports that they are spending more on over-the-top ads.

In the United States, viewers are consuming a large majority of TV through streaming platforms. When it comes to total viewing time, Americans are spending about 10% more time watching streaming services over cable. While you're watching your smart TV, the content you pick can be tracked. Connected TV (CTV) advertising is one example where a TV tracks what viewers are watching and what device they're watching on. As viewers stream their new favorite show or movie, their data can be monitored and sent back to the streaming platform.

Brands that seek to advertise a certain product can use this data to place targeted ads for individual users alongside the content they're watching. For example, if you have an Amazon Fire TV connected to your Amazon account, you could see ads prompting you to add a specific item to your cart. You can prevent your smart TV from spying on your activities, but it may require some hunting in your device's settings. But, you can be shown ads even before you reach the top streaming platform you're looking for. The home screen of your smart TV can be littered with advertisements showing you a future movie to stream, an upcoming show, and even products to buy.

Smart TVs provide a seamless way to watch your favorite shows without having to pay for cable or broadcast. The fact is, though, that no matter which option you choose, you're going to see ads. But you can better control them on a smart TV. Through what is called Automatic Content Recognition, a smart TV can track what you watch, including networks, channels, ads, and programs. Depending on which TV you own, settings like these can be turned off.

Many smart TVs also come equipped with an advertising ID that can be used to present more personalized ads to you. The shows and movies you watch on a smart TV can be used to show customized ads for you. You won't be able to delete or turn off this feature, but in some cases, you can reset it. This will make ads less personalized, at least for some time — you may have to reset this feature every few months.

There's really no getting rid of advertisements entirely on a smart TV. You may be able to go into settings and reduce the amount of ads shown, but they won't truly go away. Whether it's YouTube ads that impact your TV-watching experience or advertisements that take up too much of the screen, unfortunately they're not going anywhere.