With Roku and Google at odds, Roku is warning YouTube TV subscribers that the streaming service could be removed from the platform in the coming days.
“Google is attempting to use its YouTube monopoly position to force Roku into accepting predatory, anticompetitive and discriminatory terms that will directly harm Roku and our users,” Roku said in a statement Monday. “Given antitrust suits against Google, investigations by competition authorities of anti-competitive behavior and congressional hearings into Google’s practices, it should come as no surprise that Google is now demanding unfair and anticompetitive terms that harm Roku’s users.”
With Google and Roku’s renewal negotiations taking place, Roku says that Google is demanding special privileges, like skewing search results to focus on YouTube TV.
“We are disappointed that Google has so far refused to accept our proposal to extend YouTube TV on Roku,” Roku said in the statement. “Roku is not asking Google for a single additional dollar in value. We simply cannot agree to terms that would manipulate consumer search results, inflate the cost of our products and violate established industry data practices. Google is already under fire from governments around the world for manipulating search results. It is outrageous that Google would now try to insist on manipulating Roku’s search results as well.”
The statement wrapped up with Roku saying they are committed to coming to an agreement with Google to continue giving users access to YouTube TV.