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Roku TV bricked until agreeing to new terms of service (programming.dev)

submitted 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

301 comments fedilink hide all child comments

See title - very frustrating. There is no way to continue to use the TV without agreeing to the terms. I couldn't use different inputs, or even go to settings from the home screen and disconnect from the internet to disable their services. If I don't agree to their terms, then I don't get access to their new products. 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.

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. They shouldn't be able to hold my physical device hostage until I agree to new terms that I didn't agree at the time of purchase or initial setup.

I wish Roku TVs weren't cheap walmart brand sh*t. Someone with some actual money might sue them and sort this out...

EDIT: Shout out to @[email protected] for recommending the brand "Sceptre" when buying my next (dumb) TV.

EDIT2: Shout out to @[email protected] for recommending LG smart TVs as a dumb-TV stand in. They apparently do require an agreement at startup, which is certainly NOT ideal, but the setup can be completed without an internet connection and it remembers input selection on powerup. So, once you have it setup, you're good to rock and roll.

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[–] Ajen 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

You need your original purchase receipt to opt out? I hope that's not legal. I wonder if roku could be subject to a lawsuit over this...

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

You need your original purchase receipt to opt out? I hope that’s not legal. I wonder if roku could be subject to a lawsuit over this…

IANAL, but the answer to your question would depend on the bolded part of the clause ('if applicable')...

Such notice must include the name of each person opting out and contact information for each such person, the specific product models, software, or services used that are at issue, the email address that you used to set up your Roku account (if you have one), and, if applicable, a copy of your purchase receipt.

Who decides what is applicable or not, and if the applicable scenarios are not listed in the terms, then are any applicable?

How does someone who is not a lawyer determine this so they can make an informed decision before they can agree to it?

[–] Ajen 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

IANAL, but the answer to your question would depend on the bolded part of the clause ('if applicable')...

It also depends on whether that clause is enforceable.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

It also depends on whether that clause is enforceable.

True, but enforceable or not is different from what I was asking about though.

For the sake of argument let's say that it is enforceable. How then does a regular person, a non-lawyer, understand what they're agreeing to, when verbiage is used like what I've quoted above.