Features, settings & updates

[xphileprof]

I received an email informing me that Roku is updating its Privacy Policy. Unlike the many similar emails that I get from other companies, Roku's did not include a summary of the changes. Is that because they don't want us to know what's changing?

[AJCxZ0]

Email just in from a we-don't-want-to-hear-from-you address - Roku <noreply@roku.com> - and for reasons which befuddle anyone who understands how email works, a different we-don't-want-to-hear-from-you return address - <no-reply@email.roku.com> with subject We've Updated our Privacy Policy.

It begins with a little light comedy:

At Roku, we're always striving to make our practices and policies more transparent.

then continues to carefully avoid identifying or giving any clue what changed:

We've updated our Privacy Policy to provide information about our product features, services, and data practices, and to reflect the requirements of new privacy laws and regulations which will take effect soon. We encourage you to read through it so that you understand what data we collect, how we use and disclose it, and to whom, and your rights and choices.

in which "Privacy Policy" is not a link to the actual Privacy Policy, but a no-sense-of-irony tracking link, finishing with giving us a whole week to consider the mysterious changes to this 18,746 word document, but of course no indication of anything we might do about it:

The updates will go into effect on July 1, 2024.

Note that this is the Privacy Policy, not the Dispute Resolution Terms.

[ThePCDoc]

Just notified 06-24-2024 that the Roku Privacy update takes effect on 07-01-2024 - just six days from now. It's 112 pages long and we aren't being given the customary 30-day notice. Why is there no summary of what the changes are? What are the most important things we need to know going forward? Why are we only getting a six-day notification? Is that even legal?

How about being upfront with the changes instead of appearing to obfuscate the update by burying any news within 112 pages?

You have a great app and service, but this update appears as if you are rushing users. You're not, are you?

[Zio]

Bingo! They also have the nerve to say that they are all about transparency. Ha!

[fladude]

Ignoring companys doing it can set precedents that can be used later in courts to prevent  one from acting over actual harm.


Give an inch....they take a mile and then another mile 

[ektoplasm]

As luck would have it, my 65" TCL bit the dust yesterday. It's replacement will be a non-Roku device.

[atc98092]

Roku isn't alone doing this. I think I received close to a dozen different emails over the past week or so advising their terms of use or privacy statements were updated. Plenty of it going around. Makes me think some recent law change has made them all do it. 

[Nounderstand]

It would take a team of lawyers at least a month to understand the mile long policy. It reads to me that they were a company selling steaming services, streaming devices, doorbells, cameras and smart home devices ,basically a company i trusted and wanted to buy from. Now they join the ranks of Google,Youtube,Disney, and Facebook, wanting to see ,look,and share everything from my name,email,phone number and what i watch ,even the commercials that come on the channels i watch. Just another case of the government subpoenas being acted on like they did the banking system, airline tickets and even credit card transactions on the Jan. 6th riot. 

[Ellen19144]

AGAIN!   This just happened again TODAY, December 18, 2024!  Received update to privacy policy.  No summary, no way to know what the changes are.  No explanatory info at all.

Notably, NO WAY to contact Roku to ask this question.   Is there an industry or consumer protection organization to direct complaints?

ARGH.  Corporations are doing their very best to ensure that we cannot be informed consumers!

[xphileprof]

It's hard to imagine this being an oversight. Everyone involved in drafting that message gets policy update emails from other companies just like we do, so they know that essentially every company except Roku includes a summary. What are they hiding?