A Fox News report published July 15, 2026, laid bare a mounting frustration for consumers: the devices you’ve paid for are increasingly doubling as advertising platforms. Samsung confirmed that its Family Hub refrigerators, after a software update, began displaying curated ads on the screen. Stellantis, parent of Jeep, Ram, and Chrysler, acknowledged that its Uconnect system had previously pushed promotional messages to in-vehicle displays. And Windows 11 continues to weave recommendations, tips, and subscription offers into core areas like Settings, the Start menu, and the lock screen. The takeaway is stark: buying hardware no longer guarantees that you control what appears on its screen.

What Actually Changed

The shift is less a single event and more a drip feed of updates that have turned products into perpetual marketing channels.

Samsung Family Hub refrigerators
In October 2025, Samsung launched a pilot that added a Cover Screen widget to its Family Hub fridges in the U.S. The widget cycled through weather, calendar info, news, and—crucially—“curated advertisements.” After the pilot ended in March 2026, the company rolled out the feature broadly with the same experience. Samsung told Fox News that the ads are non-personalized and that the fridges do not collect personal data for this purpose. Users can turn off the ads entirely via Settings > Advertisements > Cover Screen Ads, or by switching the Cover Screen theme to Art or Album. Samsung also claims that only a low single-digit percentage of users have disabled the widget, based on its own review.

Stellantis Uconnect dashboards
In vehicles from Jeep, Ram, and Chrysler, Stellantis used its In-Vehicle Message system to send promotions. The company says it stopped those campaigns in mid-fall 2025 and has no plans to resume them. When they were active, owners could opt out through customer service or their vehicle-brand account’s message settings. However, Stellantis also announced a July 2025 partnership with 4screen to display sponsored commercial destinations inside navigation systems on compatible Uconnect 4 and Uconnect 5 vehicles. While map-based sponsored pins are less intrusive than a pop-up, they represent the same principle: the dashboard becomes a continuing commercial platform.

Windows 11
Microsoft’s approach is more subtle but pervasive. Its own support documentation states that Device usage settings in Windows 11 “can generate tips, recommendations, and personalized ads.” Selecting “Gaming” might trigger an Xbox Game Pass trial; “School” can prompt OneDrive suggestions; “Business” may lead to a Microsoft 365 Business trial. These messages live inside trusted OS surfaces: the Settings app, the Start menu, lock screen, and notification tray. Microsoft declined to comment for the Fox News report, but the settings are confirmed by its documentation.

What It Means for You

For everyday Windows users, the practical impact is an operating system that feels less like a tool and more like a storefront. A notification urging you to “finish setting up your PC” might actually be a pitch to sign into a Microsoft account, which then opens the door to OneDrive backups (and paid plans once you exceed the free 5GB). A lock screen tip about productivity might hide a Microsoft 365 upsell. Even the Settings app can show “suggested content”—a euphemism for internal advertising.

The risk is not just annoyance. These prompts blur the line between system management and marketing. A casual user might click through a OneDrive backup prompt thinking it’s a necessary step, only to find later that their files are synced to a cloud they didn’t intentionally choose. Or an employee in a corporate environment might accept a Game Pass trial, potentially creating licensing complications.

For IT administrators, the encroachment is more serious. Unprompted offers create help-desk tickets, encourage unmanaged cloud storage adoption, and can conflict with organizational security policies. A carefully configured Windows 11 deployment can be undermined by a single post-update promotional screen that a user assumes is mandatory. Microsoft does provide enterprise controls, but they require proactive configuration and testing after every major update.

How We Got Here

The creep of advertising into paid products isn’t accidental; it’s a direct result of the software-defined era. Manufacturers realized that over-the-air updates could deliver more than security patches. They could also deliver new revenue streams.

Samsung’s Family Hub refrigerators were designed from the start as connected platforms, but the ad widget was a later addition. The same applies to Stellantis: Uconnect’s in-vehicle messaging was originally built for recall notices and health alerts—legitimate uses—but the system was repurposed for promotions. Both companies quickly added opt-outs once the practices attracted attention, but the underlying strategy remains: test the waters, and if few users disable the feature, it stays.

Windows 11 accelerated a trend that began in Windows 10. Microsoft gradually introduced “suggestions” in Start, then “tips” on the lock screen, then account-related notifications. With Windows 11, the device-usage framework formalized the connection between your stated interests and the ads you see. It’s not spyware—Microsoft says it doesn’t use the advertising ID to increase ad count—but it ensures that the OS remains a pipeline for Microsoft’s own subscription services.

The pattern across all three platforms is consistent: a post-purchase update adds promotional content, an opt-out exists but is often buried, and the company measures “success” by how few people turn it off.

What to Do Now

You’re not powerless. Here are concrete steps to reclaim your screens.

For Windows 11 Users

These settings are spread across different menus. Adjust them methodically:

Step 1: Privacy & security > General
- Turn off “Let apps show me personalized ads by using my advertising ID.” (This won’t reduce ad count, just personalization.)
- Turn off “Let Windows improve Start and search results by tracking app launches.”
- Turn off “Show me suggested content in the Settings app.”

Step 2: Personalization > Device usage
- Turn off every toggle you don’t need. If you aren’t a gamer, switch off Gaming. If you don’t want OneDrive prompts, switch off School or Business. This reduces targeted tips and trials.

Step 3: Personalization > Lock screen
- Change “Windows Spotlight” to “Picture” or “Slideshow” to eliminate rotating tips and notifications.
- If you keep Spotlight, make sure “Get fun facts, tips, tricks, and more on your lock screen” is disabled.

Step 4: Personalization > Start
- Toggle off any options mentioning “recommendations,” “tips,” “shortcuts,” “newly installed apps,” “personalized offers,” or “account-related notifications.” The exact wording varies by Windows 11 build, so look for anything that sounds promotional.

Step 5: Notifications
- Go to System > Notifications and turn off “Offer suggestions on how I can set up my device” and any similar checkboxes.

None of these toggles create a truly ad-free Windows 11, but they significantly reduce the noise.

For Samsung Family Hub Refrigerator Owners

  • Open Settings on the fridge display.
  • Tap Advertisements.
  • Switch off Cover Screen Ads.
  • Alternatively, set the Cover Screen theme to Art or Album; ads won’t appear there.

For Stellantis Vehicle Owners

  • Stellantis states there are currently no promotional messages. If you own a compatible Uconnect 4 or Uconnect 5 vehicle, keep an eye on future updates.
  • To be safe, log into your vehicle-brand account (e.g., Ram Owner account) and review Message Settings. You may also call customer service to confirm your preferences.

For IT Administrators

Don’t rely on end-user settings. Use policy-driven management:

  • Deploy controls via Microsoft Intune, Configuration Service Providers (CSPs), or Group Policy. Relevant policy areas include Start menu layout, lock screen experience, and cloud content.
  • Test after every cumulative update and feature update. Microsoft often tweaks how promotional surfaces behave, and a previously effective policy may need adjustment.
  • Validate on fresh installations, new user profiles, and after Microsoft account sign-in, because many prompts appear during the out-of-box experience or shortly after profile creation.

A sound baseline: disable Spotlight, restrict Start recommendations, block Microsoft account notifications, and use an enterprise-approved browser extension or DNS filter to block known ad and telemetry endpoints for additional defense in depth.

Outlook

The ad creep on paid devices isn’t likely to recede on its own. As connected appliances and vehicles become more common, the temptation for manufacturers to monetize screens will only grow. Regulators have taken note—Europe’s Digital Markets Act already forces some platforms to offer clearer consent—but enforcement remains patchy.

For Windows users, each semi-annual update effectively resets the board. Microsoft adds new features, and with them, new surfaces for recommendations. Staying ad-light requires vigilance: after every Patch Tuesday or 24H2-style update, revisit your settings. The good news is that the controls are there, if you know where to look.

The larger lesson from Samsung, Stellantis, and Microsoft is that software has severed the tie between a sale and the screen. As an owner, you provide the real estate; the update provides the billboard. Being informed—and knowing which switches to flip—remains the most effective defense.