Roku is Testing Forced Autoplay Ads on Startup – Users Left Unimpressed

Roku is conducting a test involving the display of autoplaying ads when users first turn on their TVs, with many users encountering an ad for Disney’s Moana 2. According to Roku, this is part of their efforts to explore new ways to showcase brands and programming while maintaining a user-friendly experience. The ads play in full before users can access their home screen, although some users report seeing a close button. This behavior marks a significant shift from Roku’s previous ad placements, which were limited to the homescreen and screensaver. Similarly, Amazon faced criticism for similar autoplaying ads on Fire TV devices in late 2023, but later introduced an option to disable the feature.