Channels & viewing

[ramin]

I have 4 roku devices in my home. I have a magazine and I recommended Roku as the easiest way for people (especially old people) of my community to watch TV from back home. Many people bought roku because of my recommendation.

Roku just deleted the 2 apps we all used to watch TV in my mother tongue from OUR devices without any notice.

I paid $$ for these devices. I OWN them. You wanna delete channels? Delete them from ur store so nobody can download them any further. or maybe review them before adding them to your store. what gives you permission to delete content from MY devices?? now I and many of my family and friends have brick devices and that are of no use to us.

I just googled this and found out this has been happening for years now. ROKU, when you sell your devices, it's not yours to control anymore. Who gives you the right to add and remove channels without people's permission on THEIR devices??

[atc98092]

You didn't identify the channels that were removed. In general, Roku only removes channels that are violating their terms of agreement, most often for streaming media illegally. Roku is under no obligation to tell anyone this is happening, per the terms of use that users agree to when they use a Roku device. 

Roku lost a major court case because they didn't stop a channel from streaming media without permission, so they are very aggressive removing channels.

It's also possible the provider requested Roku remove the channel from devices. It's anyone's guess why they might do it, but that's a possibility. 

[ramin]

Regardless the possibilities of "why" they did this, you're missing the whole point. whatever is on MY device, is mine to use in whatever way I see fit. I might want to dissect the device and rip it apart, it's NOBODY's business.

The said channels were broadcasting live and VOD programs from public TVs of my original country.

Even if as you've put it, said channels are violating their terms of agreement, they should review it and take action BEFORE showcasing and putting it in their store for the public to use. I bought and advertised Roku BECAUSE of those selling points (the channels in questions).

It's like I buy a laptop that is advertised that it includes all these softwares. Then 6 months or a year AFTER i bought it, they'd sneak into the laptop and delete those softwares because it was violating their terms of agreement or their license to use those softwares in their laptops expired.

it's unacceptable and and I will raise my voice about it.

[Strega]

Well, there are thousands of Roku channels and any one of those could change what they broadcast at any time, so I don’t think that evaluating only before they start could ever work.  Not to mention that retransmission laws change and courts continue to decide some issues.

In any case, the last time something like this came up, someone said: They should say this right on the box! I happened to have my latest Roku box, and even though it's a tiny little box, they did manage to find room to say that channels may change.

[ramin]

So imagine if I sell you a car and say it has the best tires on the market, and you buy that car from me because of those tires.

Then after a long time, those tires become illegal in your state, does that give me the right to come to your driveway, jack up your car and remove those illegal tires? 

If some channels change their content, then they should remove it FROM THE STORE. they don't have the right to invade my device and remove it from the physical hard drive of a device I PAID MONEY FOR. 

[atc98092]

@ramin 

I completely understand your point. But the courts have disagreed, stating that if Roku allows someone to use their platform for illegal streaming, Roku themselves are liable. That's why the Roku user terms state that a channel can be removed from a user's device without warning, if the channel is not lawfully offering the media. So they have to do it or end up back in court, possibly given a severe judgement against them.

Also, you paid for the device, but with very few exceptions do you pay to install a channel. So they haven't removed anything you've paid for. Perhaps you've paid a subscription for the service, but that's not something that is Roku's concern. The courts have made it abundantly clear that the platform provider, if they are offering the channel store such as Roku does, is liable for content offered illegally. 

[C_I]

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@ramin wrote:

I have 4 roku devices in my home. I have a magazine and I recommended Roku as the easiest way for people (especially old people) of my community to watch TV from back home. Many people bought roku because of my recommendation.

Roku just deleted the 2 apps we all used to watch TV in my mother tongue from OUR devices without any notice.

I paid $$ for these devices. I OWN them. You wanna delete channels? Delete them from ur store so nobody can download them any further. or maybe review them before adding them to your store. what gives you permission to delete content from MY devices?? now I and many of my family and friends have brick devices and that are of no use to us.

I just googled this and found out this has been happening for years now. ROKU, when you sell your devices, it's not yours to control anymore. Who gives you the right to add and remove channels without people's permission on THEIR devices??

     First of all, the money you paid for the apps only gave you the right to download and stream content from those apps. You personally do not own them. Second, Roku reserves the right to remove channels with or without notice. 

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[ramin]

that's impossible Dan. You speak so clearly about the court ruling that makes me want to ask if you have a link to the court ruling in question?

I don't believe the court would set such rulings because it's not rational and there are many precedent that disagrees with you. Roku can simply deny responsibility how the product is used after purchase. Look at all the big corporations. Apple, Google, Samsung, Microsoft, an endless list. None of them are LEGALLY held responsible of how the 'hardware' is being used after sale. Sure, apple prevents certain use of its devices and voids warranties on devices that are 'jailbroken' or 'flashed' and I think this is the case with Roku. Likely story is that Roku is so focused into feeding their 'preferred' content and keep the OS and channels so wrapped around their own fingers.

All these companies can 'ban', 'remove' or 'restrict' apps or services on their store platforms, but once something is loaded into the device they shouldn't be able to access it. and honestly, I think it's even illegal to do so.

Also, are you a user or a Roku rep?

[ramin]

@C_I "First of all, the money you paid for the apps only gave you the right to download and stream content from those apps. You personally do not own them. Second, Roku reserves the right to remove channels with or without notice. "

I think you're pretty off. I never claimed to OWN the apps that I pay subscription for. but I OWN the device. the plastic, the board, the chips, and everything in between. and Roku is free to do whatever they want to do with how I get my apps into my device, UP UNTIL IT REACHES MY DEVICE. after that, they absolutely have no right to interfere of how I use MY device.

[atc98092]

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@ramin wrote:

 UP UNTIL IT REACHES MY DEVICE. after that, they absolutely have no right to interfere of how I use MY device.

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Nope, as previously stated, Roku has every right to remove channels from your device at any time. Please read the user terms, specifically this sentence: 

"We reserve the right (at any time) to modify, suspend, or remove certain features, functionality, or content from the Roku device."

https://docs.roku.com/published/deviceplayereula/en/us