Features, settings & updates

[FilmNoirDreams]

We need to disable Automatic Account Link ASAP across 12 Roku devices we use in our school setting. I'm not sure exactly when this 'feature' crept into the OS, but now a teacher that logs into (for example) Disney + will find that their account can now be used on all 12 Roku in the school. Not a good thing.

I've looked, but I can't find any setting that will disable this function.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

[DBDukes]

@FilmNoirDreams 

Roku introduced Single Sign On capabilities many years ago. Roku allows app developers to support it, and apparently the Disney+ developers did just that.

The idea is that it's convenient for home use, in that one family member can set up the app on one device, and all other devices on the same Roku account automatically get to use that app.

The options, none of them ideal, are:

• Don't use apps that support SSO, meaning not Disney+
• Use a separate Roku account for each Roku device (excepting those that you want to use SSO). Each device would have separate app installations. If an app was added to one, it would only be added to that one. You'd have to add it to each device that wanted to use the app.

There's not many more options -- none come to mind -- to prevent SSO from working if the app is set up to use it.

[FilmNoirDreams]

@DBDukes  Thanks for the response. After some time with Roku support it does look like you are probably correct; it appears Roku never considered that their devices would be used as an enterprise solution. We will probably have to replace all our devices. Thank goodness they were cheap as such things go. Supposedly our conversation was bumped up to the development team, but any solution they did come up with would have to happen in the next few weeks as staff needs certain functionality to work without exposing their accounts to unwanted access.

[atc98092]

You probably already know this, but you need to be cautious about using personal accounts in a business setting (and your school would fit that description). In particular, Disney has been aggressive in the past for people using personal copies of movies and showing them publicly, for example a PTA Movie Night. And other content providers have the same viewpoint about using their content like that. Read the terms of use for the provider(s) you want to use, and see what they say about personal usage. 

[FilmNoirDreams]

@atc98092  Thanks, and yes, staff know not to use personal accounts for any type of public screening. Looks like Apple TVs do this properly, with SSO in supported apps being on an opt-in basis only. We had moved to ROKU once Airplay was supported since Apple TVs are so expensive and all the 4K models came with the world's worst remote (although that has now been changed). We tested three ROKU for nearly a year and never had any issues during the test period, but now that apps ('channels') have been updated for SSO they just aren't going to work for us. (IMHO, any feature like this should *always* be opt-in only. That's just fundamental good-practice.)

[DBDukes]

@FilmNoirDreams 

I disagree about one detail: It should be opt-out, not opt-in.

For most people, it's useful, and should be default behavior. There would be so many more helped than hurt by this, so on by default would be the way to help most users. But the ability to turn it off would be great. I wish Roku would implement that feature.

[DJaxn]

I see this thread was created in February.  Had development been able to come up with a solution to opt out.  I use my rokus in-home and don't necessarily want the roku my children use to automatically be signed into all apps (i.e. HBO) Is there still no solution to opt out?

[DBDukes]

@DJaxn 

No. There is no word if Roku is even implementing such a thing, though I wish they would. You could use the Suggest a Feature page to add your voice to those asking for the feature.

For now, if you want a different lineup on your kids' Roku devices, you would need to set them up with a different Roku account. If you did that, then for the subscription services you do want them to have access, you would subscribe directly, rather than through Roku, and then sign in on the services you want for them. Plus, they wouldn't even have those other apps unless you specifically put them on the kids' Roku devices.

[atc98092]

@DJaxn for most channels (at least in my experience), you have to log into them on each device separately. I'm almost positive that HBO Max was one of them. I think Prime Video might log in through your Roku account, but in most cases I've had to log into each channel separately. You could open the channel you're wanting to block their access on their device and log out of the channel, and see if it affects your other devices, and if it says logged out on that particular player. 

[Caraujo]

Not ideal, but maybe you could use the guest feature.