“Disgraceful”: Messy ToS update allegedly locks Roku devices until users give in
Users are opted in automatically unless they write a letter to Roku by March 21.
@arstechnica OH YES I’VE SEEN PEOPLE WITH THAT ISSUE HERE OVER FEDI
…..that, is pathetic
I'm so bewildered how "forced arbitration" clauses can even be legal at all. Much less forced on someone without any negotiation.
Wait I'm not. The people with money win with arbitration. So of course it's easy to force.
@JTS @arstechnica They're not legal everywhere. Might be mainly an American thing.
@arstechnica Don't buy Roku.
@arstechnica this'll probably be my last Roku, but that 3/21 deadline does give me time to send the opt-out letter via registered mail, just to exercise my spite muscle
@arstechnica damn I have 2 of those in my home. Time to find an alternative I guess
@arstechnica Let's say you want to review the ToS before you agree. Roku doesn't let you know that it's on their website. I guess you're supposed to have a lawyer come to your house and review the document on the screen in your living room before you "Agree" -- or watch TV.
Refusing to agree completely disables the device, which means you can't even use it as computer monitor or watch broadcast TV, even if you don't want to use the Roku software any more. Unbelievable.
It’s really not a big deal and ArsTechnica ought to report on this properly
So you have to consent to arbitration instead of filing a class action or lawsuit someplace
Big freaking deal
@arstechnica Just so everyone knows, Roku does at least make it pretty easy to delete your account on their website. At least as of a few weeks ago when I did it.
Doing so won't unbrick a TV that they've bricked, but if you just want to protest their shitty behavior, there ya go.
@arstechnica yeah. I saw that email and the letter is already been composed with a big middle finger printed out on it as well. F*** this company. And frankly I'm done with #roku This Is the second company in last month that I basically had to drop because of anti-consumer b*******. I'm actually going to build my own. As frankly there are boards out there that support open source. And adding Netflix and Plex to that are non-issues. The only problem is finding something that is remote control able. I want something that can sit on my couch which I can grab and easily manipulate without needing a keyboard.
@arstechnica
I've never seen Roku brand hardware in my country, but I'll try to remove the channel from my TV.
@arstechnica I, like most everyone else I assume, never read those things. All I know is if I want to use the product I have to click the agree. What am I agreeing with don’t know, don’t care. It is simply a matter of coercion, and that will be my defense. I have the same feelings about agreeing to statements on job applications. I have to agree to this statement or you won’t consider me for employment? Ok whatever. It is all meaningless drivel that I did not read anyway. Legally binding? Funny!
@arstechnica
They obviously forgot about the one person that actually reads the ToS.
@arstechnica Time to buy an intel NUC or Raspberry Pi and just run Kodi/Jellyfin/Plex on it. Screw these weird data collecting streaming devices.
@arstechnica I just bought two Roku sticks solely because they were cheaper than AppleTVs. I knew I should have just gotten the AppleTVs instead.