Roku slammed over automatic ads playing at startup: ‘Considering jumping ship now’

New York Post - Mar 20th, 2025

Roku users are expressing frustration over unskippable ads appearing before accessing the Roku OS main menu. Users took to Reddit to complain about being forced to watch advertisements for movies, such as 'Moana 2,' before reaching their home screen. The backlash has been significant, with many users threatening to stop using Roku products if the issue persists. Roku confirmed that these ads are part of a new feature they are testing, aiming to showcase brands and programming while maintaining user experience.

This development comes amid tensions between Roku and its user base, marking another incident where the company has faced backlash. In 2024, Roku experienced two cyberattacks affecting over 500,000 accounts, although no sensitive information was compromised. The introduction of ads before the main menu raises questions about user experience and the balance between revenue generation and customer satisfaction, potentially impacting Roku's reputation and customer loyalty.

Advertising Consumer Electronics Streaming Services Roku User Experience Moana 2

Story submitted by Fairstory

RATING

6.8

Fair Story

Consider it well-founded

The article effectively highlights a current issue affecting Roku users, providing clear user reactions and a company response. It is timely and relevant, addressing broader themes of advertising practices in digital media. However, it relies heavily on user comments from Reddit, which may not be the most authoritative source. The story could benefit from a more balanced perspective, including expert opinions or comparisons with other companies. Despite these limitations, the article is well-written and accessible, making it informative for readers interested in the topic.

Accuracy

The story accurately reports the introduction of automatic startup ads on Roku devices, as confirmed by Roku's own statement. The users' frustration and the company's acknowledgment of testing new ad strategies are supported by user comments and the company's official response. However, the mention of 'Moana 2' as the advertised content is inaccurate, as there is no such movie released. The historical context about Roku's past cyberattacks is accurate but somewhat tangential to the main story.

Balance

The article primarily focuses on the negative reactions from Roku users without providing a balanced view of the company's perspective beyond their brief statement. While it highlights user dissatisfaction, it lacks insights from industry experts or comparisons with similar practices by other tech companies, which could provide a more rounded perspective.

Clarity

The story is clearly written, with a logical flow from user complaints to the company's response. The language is straightforward and accessible, making it easy for readers to understand the issue. However, the mention of 'Moana 2' could confuse readers due to its inaccuracy.

Source quality

The article relies heavily on user comments from Reddit as its primary source of evidence, which may not be the most reliable. It does include a statement from Roku, which adds some credibility. However, the lack of additional authoritative sources or expert opinions limits the overall reliability of the information presented.

Transparency

The article is transparent in its presentation of user reactions and includes a statement from Roku, which clarifies the company's position. However, it does not delve deeply into the methodology of how the ads were tested or provide detailed context about the broader implications of such advertising strategies.