It's Time To Dump Roku The author has decided to stop using Roku, citing its transformation into a corporate entity driven by advertising and data collection, coupled with the company’s alignment with conservative media interests following its acquisition by Fox. The author describes Roku’s evolution from a simple set-top box provider to a platform prioritizing monetization, which has eroded its former reputation as an innovative streaming device. The decision to abandon Roku is framed as a response to the $22 billion acquisition by Fox, a deal the author believes will consolidate media power and undermine consumer choice. The author highlights Roku’s shift toward ad-supported models, which they argue prioritize profit over user experience. They criticize Roku’s operating system for its lack of intuitive navigation, particularly its inability to seamlessly switch between apps. The author also expresses concerns about Roku’s leadership, referencing its association with right-wing figures and its controversial decision to host Alex Jones’ Infowars channel—a move that drew backlash after the channel was blocked by major platforms like YouTube, Apple, Twitter, and Facebook. Roku later removed the channel following user complaints, but the author views this as a sign of corporate compromise. The Fox acquisition is portrayed as a pivotal moment that will deepen Roku’s entanglement with conservative media. The author argues that the deal, which is expected to be approved by regulators given the Trump administration’s leniency toward conservative media, will enable Fox to expand its influence in streaming. With Roku’s ad-supported Roku Channel reaching 145 million users, Fox stands to gain access to a vast audience for its news and sports content.#fox #roku #alex_jones #infowars #lachlan_murdoch
The Onion's Bid to Take Over Alex Jones' Infowars Is in Limbo as New Court Battles Emerge AUSTIN, Texas — The Onion’s attempt to acquire and transform Alex Jones’ Infowars platforms into parody sites has stalled again, with a Texas court temporarily halting the proposed deal. The dispute, which has drawn significant legal and public attention, centers on the transfer of Infowars assets to The Onion, a satirical news outlet, to fund settlements for the Sandy Hook families. The latest development came after a state judge in Austin postponed a hearing on the matter, citing an emergency motion filed by Jones’ legal team that blocked the transfer of Infowars assets. The judge rescheduled the hearing for May 28, leaving the future of the deal uncertain. The controversy began in November 2024 when The Onion won a bankruptcy court auction for the assets of Infowars’ parent company, Free Speech Systems. The bid was intended to help satisfy defamation judgments against Jones, who has faced multiple lawsuits from victims’ families following the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting. However, a federal judge later overturned the auction results, citing procedural issues and questioning The Onion’s bid. This setback delayed the transfer of Infowars’ assets, which The Onion had planned to use for a comedic rebranding of the platform. The current legal battle involves a state court in Texas, where a judge initially scheduled a hearing to approve The Onion’s deal with the receiver overseeing Infowars’ assets. However, the Texas Third Court of Appeals intervened, granting an emergency motion by Jones’ lawyers to block the transfer. The judge’s decision to pause the proceedings has frustrated The Onion’s CEO, Ben Collins, who criticized the legal system for prolonging the process.#the_onion #alex_jones #infowars #sandy_hook #texas_third_court_of_apis
