Editing Roku, Inc. (section)

===Auto-playing Ads Before Home Screen (Mar. 2025)===
In March 2025, reports surfaced that Roku was testing a new advertising feature that plays video ads before users could access the Roku OS home screen.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Harding |first=Scharon |date=17 March 2025 |title=“Awful”: Roku tests autoplaying ads loading before the home screen |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/roku-says-unpopular-autoplay-ads-are-just-a-test/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250318004112/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/roku-says-unpopular-autoplay-ads-are-just-a-test/ |archive-date=18 March 2025 |access-date=18 March 2025 |work=arstechnica}}</ref> Users reported that when turning on their Roku TV or streaming device, they were met with a video advertisement — often for the movie ''Moana 2'' — before reaching the home screen.<ref name=":3" /> While some users found an option to skip the ad, others claimed that there was no clear way to bypass it.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Herbig |first=Daniel |date=18 March 2025 |title=Roku zeigt Werbung, bevor man überhaupt zum Homescreen kommt |url=https://www.heise.de/news/Roku-zeigt-Werbung-bevor-man-ueberhaupt-zum-Homescreen-kommt-10318983.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250318081622/https://www.heise.de/news/Roku-zeigt-Werbung-bevor-man-ueberhaupt-zum-Homescreen-kommt-10318983.html |archive-date=18 March 2025 |access-date=18 March 2025 |work=heise online}}</ref>

A Roku spokesperson confirmed that the autoplaying ads were part of a temporary test but did not specify whether they would become a permanent feature. The company stated that its business model relies on continuous testing and innovation in advertising but did not address customer concerns or backlash.<ref name=":3" /> Many users expressed dissatisfaction, with some stating they would stop using Roku devices if this feature were permanently implemented. Community discussions and forum posts described the ads as "unacceptable" and "intrusive".<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" />

Roku has previously been known for pushing the boundaries on advertising, including filing a patent for technology that could overlay ads on third-party devices connected to a Roku TV. While this patent has not yet been implemented, the new auto-playing ads suggest Roku is continuing to explore aggressive advertising strategies.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" />