Vizio Didn’t Tell Consumers They Risked Losing YouTube on Older TVs, Consumer Alleges
Vizio sold smart TVs to millions of consumers since 2012 without telling them they risked losing YouTube functionality through an upgrade of the streaming service's application programming interface, alleged a complaint seeking class-action status. The end came this year after…
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YouTube publicized a notice that older TVs with flash-based APIs would no longer run YouTube starting June 26, said the complaint (in Pacer) Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Tacoma, Washington. Vizio’s “advice to consumer complainants related to loss of YouTube functionality” is to suggest they buy a new smart TV or purchase an external “streaming device” such as Google Chromecast, it said. The complaint names only Vizio as a defendant, and its representatives didn’t comment Wednesday. Lawyers for plaintiff Cody Brenner, a Pierce County resident, didn’t comment on whether they plan additional complaints against other TV makers.