Evil Google Goes After Independent Roku

Updated at 4:00 PM ET: Shortly after we posted this update to our customers and raised concerns about their anticompetitive conduct, Google notified us that, unless we reach agreement on renewal terms prior to the expiration of our current agreement, we will not be able to offer YouTube on the Roku platform for new users. While not surprising, this kind of blatant retaliation and monopoly conduct is likely why the U.S. Department of Justice and 30 State Attorneys General are investigating Google for violating fair competition laws. Google’s actions are designed to stifle competition and harm consumers which is why there is broad bipartisan support in Congress today to rein in monopoly abuses. We will continue to try to keep YouTube (and YouTube TV) available for Roku customers, and will provide updates as appropriate.

This is unfortunately the case Roku and numerous other independent companies now face with Google, which is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and more than 30 State Attorneys General for violating competition laws. Doing business with an enterprise as powerful as Google creates complex challenges. Google, the world’s largest search engine and advertising platform, also owns YouTube which is both the world’s second largest search engine and the world’s largest video sharing service. Since April, we have been working to renew our partnership with Google to continue to offer YouTube TV to our shared customers, and we made a commitment to keep the YouTube TV service available to existing YouTube TV users while we attempt to resolve our concerns. ​

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