Roku Disables TVs and Streaming Devices Until Users Agree to New Terms

Roku users around THE country turned on their Televisions This week has find A unpleasant surprise: THE business required them has consent has new dispute resolution terms In order has to access their device. THE devices are unusable until THE user agrees.

Users (has less, This user) received A E-mail THE day Before saying that "We to have do changes has OUR Dispute Resolution Terms, which describe how You can solve disputes with Roku. We encourage You has read THE update Dispute Resolution Terms. By continue has to use OUR some products Or services, You are All right has these update terms. »

THE terms, of course, include A strength arbitration agreement that stop THE user Since pursue Or socket part In lawsuits against Roku. It is common these days as A path of limiting responsibility, And users often to have little Or No appeal. They only find out later, When THE business do something odious And consequences are negligible. Technology companies love This A dirty trick has to safeguard millions!

But What East In fact new on reading of THE terms East A entire "Informal Dispute Resolution" section. This requires anybody with legal complaints has take them has Roku lawyers First of all, WHO will to drive A “Meet and chat” call And SO "TO DO A fair, based on facts offer of resolution" that will No doubt be generous And thoughtful. SO they have added A pre-arbitration arbitrator has further distance legal threats Since future In effect. THE change was In fact do last autumn but only came In effect recently, And NOW, a few weeks later, users are be informed by This method.

I to try has opt out of these When I can, And After while reading THE terms (of course, by "continuing has to use" My TV I had Already agreed) I find that You could only TO DO SO by mailing A writing notice has their lawyers — something I fully destined has TO DO Today. Actually, Since arbitration was apparently Already required, This provides A opportunity has opt out of something I doesn't know I was Already subject to.

But yesterday I turned on THE TV And saw THE notice Again, as did innumerable others (a few saw he A little days There is), WHO quickly took has THE forums has complain. I accidentally agreed (Again… I think) by struck THE star button And SO back, by which I destined has look For A out, but there was none. There was No to access THE device without All right has THE new terms.

Interesting way, THE terms themselves do not have amended In A long time. Every time they were updated

Here is how he look at has anybody just trying has watch THE new episode of Shogun (great SO far):

Picture Credits: Roku Forums/AJCxZ0

It is Since forum user AJCxZ0, hope You don't do it spirit.

Not that This East SO rare. After all, We permanently are using apps And Games that here We with new EULA And terms And terms. I probably to have ignored A dozen And exposed myself has unspeakable dangers here. But there Really East something instead contemptible about totally disable A users device until they accept, And having basically Nothing THE user do count as agreement. A lot Phone(s, applications, And services to leave You continue using them For a few time Or restrict You has THE current version until You OK.

Unfortunately that is not it THE case here. As of RIGHT NOW I am related by This new agreement. I will always be opt out, And You should Also — but you go to have has move fast. You can only TO DO SO In 30 days of THE new terms future In force on You. That can be When You were notified, but he can Also be on March 20, which East 30 days After they nominally (And silently) went In effect, on FEBRUARY 20. SO to input A pen And paper And iota down THE following information:

Name of pers..