Roku has filed for a patent to show ads on its streaming devices when they are idle.
The ad system would be triggered by the device's audio and video feeds to detect idleness.
Roku, a company that produces streaming TV devices and software, has filed for a patent to show ads on its devices when they are idle. The ad system would be triggered by the device's audio and video feeds to detect idleness. This new feature could potentially increase Roku's revenue as it currently loses money on hardware sales but makes up for it through advertising.
. A new patent recently filed by TV and streaming device manufacturer Roku hints toward a possible future where televisions could display ads when you pause a movie or game.
. As tech newsletter Lowpass points out, Roku finds this idle time and its screensaver so valuable that it forbids app developers from overriding the screensaver with their own.
. If this all sounds horrible and dystopian—a future where we can't even pause our offline, old DVD movies without seeing an ad for something
. Roku lost over $40 million in 2023 on hardware sales and made $1.6 billion on ads and services that same year
Accuracy
. If you plug in an Xbox or DVD player into the HDMI port on a Roku TV, you bypass the company’s screensaver and other ads.
Deception
(80%)
The article discusses a patent filed by Roku for technology that would allow the company to inject ads into third-party content using an HDMI connection. The author states that this is a dystopian future where users cannot even pause their offline DVD movies without seeing an ad. However, it's important to note that Roku has not yet moved forward on these plans and there is no indication in the article that such technology will be implemented soon.
The patent suggests several ways that Roku could spot when your TV is paused, like comparing frames.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article discusses a patent filed by Roku for technology that would allow the company to inject ads into third-party content using an HDMI connection. The author argues that this is a dystopian future where users cannot even pause their offline DVD movies without seeing an ad. However, it's important to note that Roku has not yet moved forward on these plans and there is no guarantee that the technology will be implemented.
The article discusses how Roku finds idle time valuable and forbids app developers from overriding its screensaver with their own. This suggests a potential fallacy of Appeal to Authority, as Roku may believe it has the right to control what content is displayed on its TVs.
The author argues that this technology would allow Roku to squeeze even more dollars out of users and make it harder for them to enjoy the actual content they want. This suggests a potential fallacy of Inflammatory Rhetoric, as the author uses strong language to convey their negative opinion on the topic.
Bias
(85%)
The article discusses a patent filed by Roku that suggests the company is considering injecting ads into third-party content using an HDMI connection. The author uses language like 'Roku finds this idle time and its screensaver so valuable' to suggest that the company values advertising over user experience, which could be seen as biased towards monetary gain.
The article discusses Roku's current practice of leasing out ad space in its popular Roku City screensaver
The author uses language like 'Roku finds this idle time and its screensaver so valuable'
The patent suggests several ways that Roku could spot when your TV is paused, like comparing frames
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Zack Zwiezen has a conflict of interest on the topic of Roku as he is reporting for Kotaku which is owned by Univision Communications. He also has a financial tie to Lowpass tech newsletter as they are mentioned in the article and it's not clear if there's any compensation involved.
Zack Zwiezen reports on Roku, a company that competes with Kotaku parent company Univision Communications.
Roku has filed a patent for a system that would display ads on its smart TVs when they are idle and connected to third-party devices via HDMI
The system, called 'HDMI customized ad insertion', would monitor audio from the device and grab frames from the video feed to detect idleness
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(30%)
The article is deceptive in that it presents the idea of Roku's new patent as a way to improve user experience by showing ads when they are idle. However, this is not entirely accurate as the ad insertion would be based on third-party devices connected via HDMI and could potentially interrupt users who do not want to see ads.
Roku proposes detecting when a TV is idle by monitoring things like audio from the device and grabbing frames from the video feed. This method of detection may not accurately reflect whether or not a user wants to see ads.
The article states that Roku's new patent allows it to show ads on its smart TVs whenever they are idle. However, this is not entirely accurate as the ad insertion would be based on third-party devices connected via HDMI and could potentially interrupt users who do not want to see ads.
Fallacies
(70%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Bias
(75%)
The article discusses a patent filed by Roku that outlines their plan to show ads on third-party HDMI connected devices when they are idle. This is an example of monetary bias as the company's main source of revenue comes from advertising. The author also mentions that Roku has partnered with Best Buy to serve consumers ads based on their previous purchase history, which further supports this claim.
The patent specifically mentions the system would be used on third-party HDMI connected devices.
`Roku filed a patent suggesting it wants to add ads`
`The company would determine the context of what you were doing and show ads relevant to the content.a
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(80%)
The article is deceptive in that it implies Roku will automatically show ads when a user pauses their game or video. However, the patent only mentions that Roku wants to do this and does not state if they have any plans to implement it. Additionally, the author uses sensationalism by stating 'I highly doubt Roku would let go of such an opportunity' which is subjective.
The article states 'Roku will run commercials on the screen.'
The patent only mentions that Roku wants to do this and does not state if they have any plans to implement it.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy. The author cites a patent filed by Roku as evidence that the company wants to add ads when users pause game or video on their devices connected via HDMI. However, this is not necessarily true as patents are often used for defensive purposes and do not guarantee implementation.
The streaming TV company Roku filed a patent suggesting it wants to add ads to the video feeds of devices connected to its TVs via HDMI.
Roku has filed a patent that could allow it to inject ads into your viewing experience, even if you’re using a non-Roku streaming device
The patent describes sophisticated ways to detect when you’ve paused your content and analyze what you’re watching to show relevant ads
Roku can detect pauses through several methods such as recognizing the `pause` button press from your remote, analyzing audio and image to see if sound goes silent and picture stays same, or using computer vision technology to spot standard pause symbol on-screen
Accuracy
The system will analyze the paused frame to understand viewing preferences. This data then determines what types of ads you’ll see
For instance, if you’re paused on a scene with beach and beer bottle, you can expect travel and beverage ads to appear
Deception
(80%)
The article is deceptive because it does not disclose the source of the patent or provide any evidence that Roku has actually filed for it. It also uses emotional manipulation by implying that users would be annoyed by ads triggered by their own pauses, without considering the potential benefits of personalized advertising. The article also does not mention any peer-reviewed studies or pre-prints that support the claims about Roku's technology, nor does it acknowledge any bias or fallacies in its arguments.
The patent describes sophisticated ways to detect when you’ve paused your content and analyze what you’re watching to show relevant ads. - This is a lie by omission, as it does not mention that the patent has not been filed or granted yet, and only describes a hypothetical scenario.
Fallacies
(75%)
The article contains one instance of an informal fallacy: hasty generalization. The author assumes that because Roku has filed a patent for this technology, it will definitely be implemented and become disruptive to users' viewing experiences.
. . . the patent does raise concerns about increased advertising intrusion.
Bias
(75%)
The article discusses a patent filed by Roku that allows the company to inject ads into video feeds from third-party devices connected to Roku TVs. This is an example of monetization bias as it shows how companies are looking for ways to make money through advertising.
The system can detect pauses through several methods, such as recognizing the “pause” button press from your remote,
