Roku has disabled its devices and is asking users to agree to new terms before they can use them again, making them unusable until they do, according to a report by TechCrunch.
On Feb. 29, many Roku users received the following email: “We wanted to let you know that we have made changes to our Dispute Resolution Terms, which describe how you can resolve disputes with Roku. We encourage you to read the updated Dispute Resolution Terms. By continuing to use our products or services, you are agreeing to these updated terms.”
The terms include a mandatory arbitration clause, preventing users from suing Roku, and an "Informal Dispute Resolution" section, requiring Roku lawyers to address any legal complaints first.
This week, TechCrunch reported that when users tried to log into their Roku to watch TV, they encountered a pop-up. This pop-up only gave them the choice to agree or read the terms, without any option to opt out and continue using the device. It blocked them from doing anything else until they agreed.
“I try to opt out of these when I can, and after reading the terms (to which, of course, by 'continuing to use' my TV, I had already agreed), I found that you could only do so by mailing a written notice to their lawyers — something I fully intended to do today,” a user said on TechCrunch.
There are now many people on the Roku public forum complaining about not being able to bypass the terms and use their devices.
