I reached out to Roku support regarding this. The rep told me “why are you complaining. You are the only one.” He then disconnected the chat. I’ve reached out to my state’s AG to report this. No action so far but waiting. If there are enough complaints, that might help move the needle.

What Roku is doing should be completely illegal - bricking the product after purchasing it for full price if you don’t agree to waiving your rights.

Report Roku to the FBI for violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act by hacking into and sabotaging your property.

That's a sincere suggestion, by the way. This shit should literally be a crime.

I suppose you're in the US so I don't know if my answer fits but if the terms are against the law they are simply void: as in if you have a reason for a class action, no terms or contract can take it away from you

One of the reasons so-called "smart" TVs are so much cheaper is because they are data-mining you.

Anyone else getting radicalized because of this?

IANAL, and not that it really makes this bullshit any better but...

It's unlikely that agreeing to terms of service that claim you waive rights to any class action lawsuit would actually hold up as legally binding in court. Many of these agreements aren't reply binding are already legally gray... Plus, universally vaguely signing your legal rights away in any contract doesn't hold any water either.

I highly doubt you'd actually lose any rights to a check box that's bound to "you can't ever sue us".

Yep. I got hit with this this morning when I turned on my TV before heading work.

I thought to myself ''Well... I hadn't planned on suing you but now I'm not so sure. Lol''

Yeah. This is complete BS and has me looking at computer monitors for a suitable replacement. I went ahead and agreed to their terms and my TV still works great but when it comes time to replace it, I'll be damned if I get another Smart TV.

Send this to leuis rossmann.

I don't see how this could be legal at all and how any of those terms could be applicable. My 2 year old found the remote today and he loves buttons, so naturally he pushed every button on there. I thought nothing of it but saw something pop up and then disappear, I assumed it was an error or something from the button mashing, but I guess my 2 year old agreed to rokus new TOS.

I would like to see legislation that forces optional recalls or refunds whenever TOS updates modify the usability and viability of a product.

You can try to Root your TV. https://www.xda-developers.com/rootmyroku-jailbreak-roku-tv-set-top-boxes/

I like everyone saying “but this is surely illegal!” as if these corporations actually care. At least in the US, it really doesn’t matter what the law says at this point.

Corporations will do what they want and the law will be modified to reflect that, this is the current status quo and it is going to take significant political action (specifically making rich people afraid again to piss the rest of us off too much) to make it change.

That sucks, but fine - I don't use their services except for the TV itself, and honestly, I'd rather by a dumb TV with a streaming box anyway, but I can't find those anymore.

Search for monitors, not televisions. For example, you can get an 48in and 55in OLEDs dumb monitors with multiple HDMI inputs.

Take a brick to Roku until it agrees to your terms.

Is there a factory reset button on it? Maybe you might be able to reset the TV and never connect it to the WiFi?

I just stick with computer monitors these days.

"Smart" TVs are f****** ridiculous now.

Mac address ban the TV from your network and it should work but will no longer have Internet access. I just did this locally and it worked for the one, have to go out but will do it on the other one as well.

I have a dumb 4k tv. It’s cheap, it won’t meet everyone’s needs, but I really really really don’t want a smart tv.

It’s a Sceptre. Cheap enough that if it breaks it won’t break your heart to replace it.

Ive got a TOS for them:

SECTION I

a. This contract expressly and to the fullest extent of the law binds that I did not read, nor am I bound to the terms and agreement laid out in any agreement that I agreed to. Any financial gains are automatically won by me in arbitration and any losses acrued are paid for by the Company to me with interest. Here is a vague copy/paste of about 9 more incoherent paragraphs full of "legal jargon" that never really state any clear purpose or definition of services rendered.

....

SECTION IX.

a. BY READING OR NOT READING THIS NOTICE COMPANY ASSUMES AND ACCEPTS ANY AND ALL FINANCIAL LIABILITY THEREIN. COMPANY AGREES TO PAY ME $75,000 FOR EDITING THIS CONTRACT (STANDARD GOING RATE PER DAY) PER DAY EFFECTIVE FOR 3 DAYS MAXIMUM TOTALING $225,000 PLUS TAXES AND INTEREST PAID.

b. COMPANY HAS UP TO 5 DAYS TO RESPOND TO AND DISPUTE THIS CONTRACT(They can't. It is legally and eternally binding). THANKS FOR THE MONEY NERDS

Did the old device agreement allow them to brick it until you agreed to the new agreement? If not, I say file that class action.

People might not like this suggestion but I got an AppleTV when my Roku TV started showing ads. Like everything with Apple, it cost money but at least there’s no fucking ads. (I have a Raspberry Pi running Kodi for my “DVD rips” but for streaming services, the Apple TV is great. It’s got HDR and Dolby support and they don’t fuck up the user experience on purpose. I know it’s making a deal with the devil but it does just work. I usually am a DIY person but when I sit down to watch TV, I just want to relax.)

Buy a computer monitor and attach a streaming box to it

For example

https://www.currys.co.uk/products/gigabyte-aorus-fo48u-4k-ultra-hd-47.53-oled-gaming-monitor-black-10234612.html?istCompanyId=bec25c7e-cbcd-460d-81d5-a25372d2e3d7&istFeedId=4d7eb93e-055f-499d-8ee5-1cdcc50d67d1&istItemId=plpattxmp&istBid=t&srcid=198&cmpid=ppc~gg~2053+(PLA)+SBRE+PC+GAMING+HW+SBRE~2053+(PLA)+SBRE+PC+GAMING+HW+SBRE+v2+ad+group~Exact~71700000069775194~&mctag=gg_goog_7904&kwid=GOOGLE&device=m&ds_kids=92700074464906704&tgtid=2053+(PLA)+SBRE+PC+GAMING+HW+SBRE&&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA3JCvBhA8EiwA4kujZrPOffw7f01RZKN0Xzpo9SXzuTT-bjGDwyM2i1wpULw5wBgAjE9_NRoCJ5MQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

use the search terms "commercial display" to find dumb tvs

Anyway, the new terms are about waiving your right to a class action lawsuit. It's weird to me because I'd never considered filing a class action lawsuit against Roku until this. I wish Roku TVs weren't cheap walmart brand sh*t. Someone with some actual money might sue them and sort this out...

The good thing about class action lawsuits is that you don't need money. The law firms are just about the only ones that get paid. If you pay attention to class action settlements it's often something like $3m in attorneys fees, $5,000 to the named plaintiffs, and then a 3 month subscription to the companies own service or a refund of out of pocket expenses, during a specified period, not to exceed $150 per person.

Long story short, firms are more than happy to take on a class action that can be won, but you won't get much.

Shit like this is why my LG C1 is restricted to LAN access only in my router (local network for automation purposes) and can't communicate with the internet.