Q & A: What is "Automatic content recognition (ACR)"?-The smart TV automatically recognizes content | DIGIDAY [Japanese version]

By : ilikephone / On : 10/12/2022

Your TV knows what you are watching on that TV.

Television can only recognize the content you are watching when the TV is a smart TV.However, viewing time on smart TVs tends to increase.According to Conviva, a video measurement analysis company, the time when people watched video programs on smart TVs in the third quarter of 2021 increased by 64 % year -on -year.According to a consultant company Strategy Analytics, 51 % of households worldwide will own smart TVs by 2026.

こうした状況は、「自動コンテンツ認識(Automatic Content Recognition:ACR)」と呼ばれる技術を使って収集されるテレビ視聴データが増えることを意味します。LG、ロク(Roku)、サムスン(Samsung)、ヴィジオ(Vizio)といった企業は、自社のスマートTVや他社に供給しているスマートTVで、この技術を利用できるようにしています。いつものQ&Aシリーズで解説していきましょう。

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――What is ACR?

Automatic content recognition, abbreviated, this technology, called ACR, is incorporated in smart TVs to identify the content played on TV.If you use ACR, you will be able to see (identify) the content played on your screen.The total number of ACR -compatible smart TVs on the market is unknown, but as of October 2021, Vigio alone had already sold more than 18 million ACR -compatible smart TVs.

――What kind of mechanism is ACR?

There are two major ACRs.ACR based on voice -based and video -based ACR.Both ACRs basically perform processes like pattern matching that make full use of advanced technology.Incorporates voice and video signals (part of the frame of video and the jingle of the commercial) from the smart TV, collaborate with the library of the audio and video signals collected from programs, movies, and advertisements, and find out.

――What kind of content is ACR used to identify?

For almost all content that is played on a smart TV and transmits audio signals and video signals.This includes programs aired on Linear TV (conventional TV), streaming programs, and movies played on DVDs and Blu -ray discs.Of course, advertising.However, in order to match the audio signals and video signals of content played on TV, the content must be cataloged in the reference library used by ACR technology.

――What is the purpose of using ACR?

It is a personalization of audience rating and advertising performance, advertising targeting, and recommended content.

While streaming services can track the content viewed within the service, ACR technology not only tracks programs and advertisements played on the connected TV platform, but also ACR -compatible smart, such as set -top boxes and blue ray players.It enables tracking on the device connected to the TV.With this data, you can target a specific audience layer as an advertisement, introduce recommended programs and movies to audiences, and return to TV audiences with devices other than television.

As a result, if the advertiser uses ACR data, it is not only possible to measure advertising exposure on a device basis, but how much is the person who saw a certain ad on a conventional TV and a streaming distribution (or a streaming distribution (or a streaming distribution)).You will be able to measure whether you have not done) or adjust the number of times a certain campaign in one week for each audience.

And, of course, based on advertising and program data played on each audience television, we built an audience profile and grouped a specific program or a specific advertisement.It will be possible.You can also link to other data and existing profiles, including IP addresses, email addresses, or physical addresses, such as specific users and people who belong to income levels.

In addition, by linking ACR data with other data sources, the person who saw the ad on a smart TV purchased the advertisement or accessed the advertiser site.Is also possible.

――Is the audience opt -out of ACR tracking?

yes.In fact, to use ACR technology on smart TV, you need to have people opt -in.In 2016, Vigio, a smart TV maker, made it possible to track people's viewing behavior using the ACR technology of the subsidiary Inscape (Inscape) and opt -in by default.FTC) was fined.In 2018, we paid $ 17 million (about 1.9 billion yen) compensation in accordance with the settlement proposals for collective lawsuits and obtain the permission of users before enabling ACR on their smart TV.Did.Still, Vigio states that 90 % of users are opt -in to ACR.

[Original: WTF is Automatic Content Recognition?]

Tim Peterson (Translation: Taku Sato / Galileo, editor: Satomi Saruwatari)