Roku, a popular streaming device company, recently required its users to consent to new dispute resolution terms in order to access their device. The terms include a forced arbitration agreement that prevents the user from suing or taking part in lawsuits against Roku. However, the new terms also include a whole “Informal Dispute Resolution” section that requires anyone with legal complaints to take them to Roku lawyers first, who will conduct a “Meet-and-Confer” call and then “make a fair, fact-based offer of resolution.”
Users were informed of the change through an email, and the devices were unusable until the user agreed to the new terms. The change was made last fall but only came into effect recently, and now, some weeks later, users are being informed by this method.
Opting out of the new dispute resolution terms is possible by mailing a written notice to Roku’s lawyers within 30 days of the new terms coming into force. The notice must include the name of the person opting out, contact information, email used to register Roku account if applicable, product model, software, or service “at issue,” and a receipt if available.
While the arbitration terms were already in place, the devices were in fact inaccessible until users agreed to the new terms, which silently came into effect two weeks ago.
Roku declined to provide a statement on the record, though they did point out that arbitration was already in the terms.
