Features, settings & updates

[Emissary35]

I'm having the same issue cannot uncheck the box. This problem shows what an absolute JOKE Roku really is, they don't care. And the moderators here repeating the same stupid "give me more info" nonsense is really lame. How many times do you have to ask for the same thing when the problem is being reported over and over again? Stop asking for serial numbers and other device specific information because this isn't a device specific problem.

Can the moderators here do anything other than continue to paste from the same help script over and over again? It's like getting a response from a robot, it's frustrating and infuriating. Roku needs to take complaints seriously and actually work to solve problems instead of pretending to investigate a potential problem that is factual.

[dc4421]

This issue is a simple glitch, but the customers underlying issue for months now is not really about the glitch thing….it’s plain as day. 

Yes I also have this issue…as does every Roku owner on the planet with a Roku remote that has features like a power button, side volume, headphone Jack..etc

I love Roku, I have never owned a fire stick. I have 3 Roku’s in use at my residence. 

I’m just about facts, no hate, no love, no riding bandwagons..  

This privacy concern by customers is obviously not a glitch, and even if the check/uncheck box really is a glitch, you can clearly (after pressing * for more info in speech recognition) read that does not really matter anyway.

Unchecking the box, (even if it stays checked) is merely the difference between Roku keeping and sharing all audio recordings; 24/7 if they like - or simply using audio detection/listening & converting them to text. Roku (along with Alexa-Amazon and Google, plus all X# of 3rd parties) seems allowed to access and listen to any room with a roku voice remote as desired..

So a glitch fix means this: It still always records, regardless as necessary or however & whenever they like, 24/7 if desired….yet customers uncheck “speech recognition” are simply indicating a preference that (and Roku will) still actively listen & record at will, anytime they want, and keep recordings until they can convert audio recordings to into plain text (listening if necessary or 99.989% of the time, using speech-to-text A.I. software) before they then eventually transfer recordings into the deletion stack.  

So, active listening/monitoring occurs; audio with the checkbox option of convert to text-then-delete file…it doesn’t seem matter, or concern everybody’s real question behind the glitch fix question. 

So yes, I have this same glitch. And it is troubling that pressing the * button, basically explains that a box checked or not-checked is irrelevant. So the glitch we observe is realistically a privacy-checkbox that keeps reappearing. From what I can only see & read (by pressing the * button), the facts (truth) seems kinda clear to me. 

This “glitch” is a simple on-screen graphics fix (meaning the check-in-box not reappearing). But in reality, the support answers most have been rightfully seeking for months now seem to get crickets and copy/paste from tech-support…because its all about the on-screen software glitch. 

My purpose of reaching out to tech support, and my question:

For privacy reasons, I do not wish to have active listening devices in my own private residence that I cannot physically turn on and off. Besides legally authorized law enforcement purposes I (like most people) do not  or knowingly would not allow such activities in my personal home. By simply purchasing a TV streaming device requiring a remote to control most certainly does not justify an implied agreement to active audio listening surveillance (by definition is monitored recording for information gathering, influencing..etc.)

I have a voice remote, because it has unique features like a power button, and volume buttons on the side, headphone inputs - that your others do not. It is also direct Wi-Fi to the device, so it does not interfere with other IR remotes/devices like soundbars etc... Additionally, if I choose (I do not) I can press a microphone button and I can ask it a question. 

This glitch, and the info provided in the current Roku client (device) software version, has led me to ask a simple, yet very serious privacy question.  I do not ask for explanations if it is listening or not, or when it can or not etc, or affirmations of what is necessary for a better user experience, or that nobody is important enough to actively record etc..

This should be either a simple tech support yes, here’s how.. or a straight honest “No..it is not possible, and you agreed to it” 

Yes, press this, do this…

or

No, there is no digital or physical setting option of truly disabling the Roku remote control microphones ability to actively listen & record regardless if you physically press a button or check/uncheck a setting box. 

Due to the aforementioned and my concern of basic privacy rights, how do I disable the active/passive listening device (microphone) in my Roku Remote control?

Thanks,

Damon

[RokuDanny-R]

Hi Roku Community users,
Thanks for posting in the Roku Community with your concerns regarding the speech recognition setting.

Please be aware that the appropriate Roku team is currently investigating this issue. Once more information is available, I'll be sure to update this Community thread.

We truly appreciate your patience and understanding in the meantime.

Thanks,
Danny

[snuh]

While doing some digging, I found out that this issue was first mentioned online in early/mid November 2022. So for posterity: as this post is from April 2023, then this is the sixth different month where this has been an issue that has yet to be fixed, and in less than a week we're coming up on five months without a solution. Who would've thought that a checked-box glitch would stump Roku this badly? A new OS version comes out quicker than this.

Even if it involved techspeak that's beyond my level of comprehension, I myself would feel less annoyed about this if the issue(s) was spelled out here and an actual progress report regarding working towards a solution was issued from time to time instead of just leaving all of us in the dark hanging. Are we being left hanging until a new OS version is beta tested and then released? I'd rather you tell us "A solution is likely a few months out still while we test a new OS with the fix" than be told nada and left to shrug our shoulders. You can tell us to be patient, but my response is "Five. Months." Patience is pretty much out the window. You can tell us to be understanding, but then tell us what's going on so we can understand! Because right now, we don't. The engineer who posts on Reddit did an admirable job of keeping people in the loop for awhile, but towards the beginning of the year he was taken off of the team trying to fix this. Things have assuredly changed since he last made statements about the issue.

[E2]

Will OS 12 fix this problem. Assuming I ever get OS 12 that is…

[Navidson]

Of course it won't. What no one seems to realize is: not only is Roku not going to stop this, but even if they did every other companies smart product you have in your home is doing the same thing. That includes your phones, cars, even some refrigerators. And let me be clear, I'm not saying I'm ok with that. It's just that we lost the ability to tell them all "no" a long time ago. Roku isn't going to stop because they use this data trying to develop stronger competition to companies like Google or Amazon. Even if they did it wouldn't change anything. These companies will keep pasting generic replies that sound (and probably are) written by the same language model our recordings are training, and they will sit back and laugh. And even if you stop using their products, which let's be honest very few people actually will, it won't matter because there will always be someone else who buys one and doesn't even know or care about this.  This is just our world now unfortunately. The only actual recourse is to take it to the courts which is expensive and would only temporarily stop one company from admitting it's still happening even if it was successful, because no one is going to monitor them after the suit is over.  Or to throw every electronic device you own that was made in the last 20 years into a recycling center and never go near anyone else who still uses them.  Even to post this reply I had to answer an image captcha which is used as data to train the same kind of AI models as our voices, not to prove we are human.

[nonameguy]

Its very simple really....see check box...select check box...software won't let it be unchecked.  Roku support is incredibly unhelpful.

[RokuNimfa-C]

Hi @nonameguy, 

Thanks for reaching out to the Roku Community. 

Please be advised that our support team is working closely on this matter. To clarify, are you also seeing this problem on your Roku device? If so, kindly provide us with the details below, this will help them investigate further:

• Roku device model, serial number, device ID, and software OS/version (these can all be found in Settings > System > About)
• tracker ID when this issue occurs (when you see this issue occur, press the Home button 5 times, followed by the Back button 5 times, and provide us with this ID)

Looking forward to hearing from you. 


Regards, 
Nimfa

[CuseDanLax]

So anyone out there please read their privacy statements. I absolutely give a moment of credit for the humor but if anyone else reads it, and processes what it actually says. Please say it out loud. 

I am, in fact I really am, the reality they won’t turn off the voice recording function is absolutely by intent.

Good Luck Roku, the tides are turning on consumer awareness and I have three of your devices myself.

I appreciate the simplicity of your product but your own statements in the privacy section show what you can and even will do with everything you’ve learned about your unsuspecting customers.

Change comes when the reality of the truth arises. 

I wish good luck to my fellow consumers!

[snuh]

I've now seen one person who had complained about this issue online state that upgrading to OS 12.0 fixed this glitch. Can anyone who has upgraded to 12.0 confirm that to be the case?