#Roku and Google are Fighting Over YouTube TV and We’re the Losers – Review Geek

In an email sent Monday morning, Roku warned its customers that Roku streaming devices may lose access to the YouTube TV platform. The company states that negotiations over YouTube TV “broke down” due to anti-competitive demands from Google. Surprisingly, these demands have nothing to do with money, and instead focus on Roku’s search results.

Basically, Google wants preferential treatment in Roku’s search results. The company wants access to Roku search data and demands that Roku highlight YouTube videos in its searches. A report by Axios also alleges that Google is pushing Roku to use expensive chipsets in its products, which would increase the price of Roku sticks and make Chromecasts more attractive to people on a budget.

From the email:

While we are deeply disappointed in Google’s decision to use their monopoly power to try and force terms that will directly harm streamers, we remain committed to reaching an agreement with Google that preserves your access to YouTube TV, protects your data and ensures a level playing field for companies to compete. We encourage you to contact Google and urge them to reach an agreement to continue offering YouTube TV on Roku and to follow standard industry practices pledging not to require access to sensitive search data or to manipulate your search results.

If these claims are true, then Google is using its power to manipulate and harm a competitor. And if these allegations are false, then Roku is overblowing routine negotiations. Either way, there isn’t any good news here, and anything that happens will screw over customers.

Source: Thanks, Clifton Thomas!