Smart owner TVs and streaming sticks running Roku OS are already subject to video ads on the home screen. Now, Roku is testing if that takes things a step further and forces people to watch video ad play before entering the Roku OS home screen.
Roku customers see reports of video ads that play automatically, and then they can appear online on the home screen of the OS online this week. For example, a Reddit user posted yesterday: “I just turned on Roku and got an ad for the movie before I arrived at the regular Roku home screen.” Several obvious users reported ads for the movie Moana 2. There is a close option for these ads, but some users don’t seem to see it.
When commented, a ROKU spokesperson shared a company statement that confirmed that auto-playing ads is the expected behavior, not the permanent part of the current Roku OS. Instead, Roku claims that it just tried the ad feature.
Roku’s representative said Roku’s business “has and will always need to conduct continuous testing and innovation between design, navigation, content and our best-in-class advertising products,” adding: “Our recent testing is just the latest examples as we explore new ways to showcase brands and shows while still providing a pleasant and simple user experience.”
Roku did not answer requests about whether it had plans to play ads permanently on Roku OS, Roku OS (device affected), why Roku decided to use autoplay ads or customer rebounds.
“Unacceptable”
Most of the comments that ARS Technica reviewed about marketing “tests” suggest that customers will get rid of their Roku devices before they can get what they really want to see if the software continues to force them to watch ads.
A user on the Roku Community Forum wrote: “I wish it was a flu worm. A few years ago, I wasted all the garbage in all my Amazon boxes.
Forum users who are worried about this change are called “unacceptable” and “invasive”.
If Roku increases its ad load on the client device from still images to ads with dynamic images with sound, it will test the client’s limitations. Some people who tolerate static images on neglected parts of the screen may not accept more distracting ad formats.
One Reddit wrote: “I can accept static ads on the side. Forced loud ads are terrible.”
As a budget streaming hardware brand, Roku is well-known to push boundaries in advertising. Roku even filed for a patented technology that shows ads on TV for whatever content you insert (Roku never really implements this feature).
Apart from Roku, there is no smart TV platform in advertising. But overall, it is becoming increasingly difficult for smart TV users to avoid advertising. All TV manufacturers, from budget brands to premium brands, are increasingly relying on advertising and tracking as a way to boost revenue in ways that hardware prices are falling, sales, innovation and competition increases.
This story originally appeared in ARS Technica.
