Anyone who’s been using Roku to get a porn fix (and there are presumably plenty of people who have been doing so) will have to find a new outlet for all of that energy. This week, the rapidly growing digital/streaming-player manufacturer (which is getting into the content game with upcoming new Reno 911 episodes) made that announcement during its developer conference. All of this means that Pornhub will no longer be available for Channel Store distribution, but how that’s happening is not exactly a straightforward process. That’s because Pornhub’s existence on Roku hasn’t been straightforward, in and of itself, either.
Porn content found its way onto Roku through private channels (known as “uncertified channels” in Roku terminology). They were intended for developer use, and these channels don’t appear in the Channel Store. This, naturally, led to Pornhub and similar providers to get their foot in the door, but that loophole will close on March 1, 2022 with the disappearance of private channels. While this news probably won’t affect as many people as when Roku wrapped up its HBO Max issue, the effective porn ban will surely be noticed. As first reported by Protocol, here’s the lowdown:
This includes many of the major adult content providers: Pornhub has its own private Roku channel, as do pay-per-view platforms like Adult Empire and AEBN, as well as adult video studios and subscription services like Wicked, Adult Time and Naughty America. All of these companies’ Roku channels are expected to disappear on March 1.
Roku’s existing policy of effectively turning a blind eye to private channels has been criticized in the past. Rights holders have at times clashed with the company over private channels that offered access to unlicensed content.
Gizmodo elaborates on the development while noting that Mexico briefly banned Roku due to concern over private channels. They’re developing a solution to the issue by transitioning to Beta Channels, which will satisfy developer needs while shutting down the non-certified mechanisms, and as a Roku spokesperson relayed to Gizmodo, “At our annual developer conference in October, we announced the launch of Beta Channels, a new feature that aligns with industry standards and offers a more dynamic and flexible environment for developers.”
So, no more explicitly naughty stuff will go down on Roku, but here’s some conciliatory news: there might very well be more “New Boot Goofin’” on the way from Lt. Dangle. Oh!