Features, settings & updates

[USandThem]

Fiz it then! 

[ThinkSink]

Inappropriate ads have recently become a huge problem. We'll be watching a tame, family-oriented show on the Roku app (either on-demand, or live channels), and are barraged by ads for graphic content, showing dead bodies, sexually provocative scenes, etc. Any way to get this taken care of, other than for you to "forward my concerns to the advertising department"? Thinking of dropping the Roku app because of this.

[stringer777]

I have the same problem.  I bought this Roku TV for our Church.  It will be used for Church Worship and for Funerals and these Ads are totally unacceptable.  I AM TAKING THIS TV BACK TODAY!!!

[Mcchappy]

No. This automated reply is unacceptable. You know **bleep** well that there is no message being forwarded to anybody. This is the same message that was sent to several other users since at least August of 2021. What I don’t get is, what’s in it for Roku? How do you benefit from not allowing Parents to choose ad content, or at least prevent disturbing ads from popping up in front of their young children?  Another fun thing that was said in reply to this issue was that Roku “can’t please everyone” with their ad content. Is this suggesting that most people want to only see ads for horror movies? I promise that not a single person will be upset because they didn’t get to see an ad for “It” or “Jeepers Creepers” pop up the second they turn on their Roku. I also promise that the irritation an adult might feel at constantly seeing Paw Patrol ads is nothing in comparison to the fear my two young children have experienced by seeing horror movie ads. My 6 year old now needs a melatonin supplement to fall asleep because he’s too scared to even go to his room at night. Perhaps you can include ads for licensed clinical social workers and pediatric therapists to help with the nightmares you’re creating. I’m sure losing a handful of subscribers over this isn’t a big deal to a large company, but shame on the actual individuals that are involved with the “resolution” of this matter. I hope you guys are sleeping better than my son is.

[Cmsellitt]

Another UNHAPPY customer… 

just bought 3 TV’s for my childrens bedrooms and everytime we turn the tv on they have been showing the IT movie ad and all my children have been having nightmares. Totally UNACCEPTABLE!! There needs to be some sort of privacy setting on the childrens acct!  You will be loosing a lot of customers this way. If you want to advertise on tvs that’s fine but if this is supposed to be set up for childrens as well it absolutely should not be on their acct whatsoever! This needs to be fixed ASAP! 

[Name1]

At this point I think logging complaints with the FCC may be an appropriate way to get traction with Roku on this long standing issue.

https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us

[angryparents]

Great idea - filed an FCC complaint today. Took 5 minutes. 

[Mamaberank]

It is completely unacceptable that ROKU doesn’t allow parents to select an ad and block it. This is a vital parental control. There are SO MANY unacceptable ads ranging from sexual content to horror imagery that I don’t want my young children to see. 

[ComputerGuy7]

Reply to: "Great idea - filed an FCC complaint today. Took 5 minutes. "

Can you provide any tips to make this easier for others?

[DBDukes]

@Mamaberank 

I'm not aware of any streaming platform with the functionality you describe. Roku, Fire TV, and Google/Android TV all have ads, but there is no ad blocking functionality within the platforms.

The only major platform without ads is Apple TV, so it's a non-issue there.

I would suggest reaching out to @RokuDanny-R , @RokuMary-F , or @RokuKariza-D about your concerns. Likely, they'll simply pass it up the line, but it is a way to get visibility to the issue.

Whether or not Roku will implement a rating system for ads, like there is for apps, I don't know. Right now, it's the only avenue I see.

Filing an FCC complaint is the route some seem to have chosen, but that's probably because they think Roku is regulated by the FCC. It's not. For devices, yes, they have to show the electronics don't interfere with broadcast devices, but that's true of cars and trucks as well. Roku falls under FCC as much as Ford or Chevrolet do. Roku does not fall under FCC guidelines as TV stations do. You could file a complaint with the Department of Agriculture and be just as effective.