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{{InfoboxCompany
{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Miku
| Name = Miku
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| Logo = Miku.jpg
| Logo = Miku.jpg
}}
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Miku is a private for-profit company that was founded in 2018 by Eric White.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 Oct 2019 |title=Our Founder Shares Why He Built the Miku Smart Baby Monitor |url=https://mikucare.com/blogs/blog/founder-eric-white-miku-baby-monitor |url-status=live |access-date=4 Apr 2025 |website=[[Miku]]}}</ref> Miku sells smart baby monitors with features such as night vision, sensors for temperature, humidity and ambient light, a 1080p camera, 7-day video storage, and audio/video recording capabilities.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Specs |url=https://mikucare.com/pages/specs |url-status=live |access-date=3 Apr 2025 |website=[[Miku]]}}</ref> Both the Miku Smart Baby Monitor (standard model) and Miku Pro come with a 12-month manufacturer warranty from the date of purchase.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Miku Inc. Limited Warranty |url=https://mikucare.com/pages/warranty |url-status=live |access-date=4 Apr 2025 |website=[[Miku]]}}</ref>
'''Miku''' is a private for-profit company that was founded in 2018 by Eric White.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 Oct 2019 |title=Our Founder Shares Why He Built the Miku Smart Baby Monitor |url=https://mikucare.com/blogs/blog/founder-eric-white-miku-baby-monitor |url-status=live |access-date=4 Apr 2025 |website=[[Miku]]}}</ref> Miku sells smart baby monitors with features such as night vision, sensors for temperature, humidity and ambient light, a 1080p camera, 7-day video storage, and audio/video recording capabilities.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Specs |url=https://mikucare.com/pages/specs |url-status=live |access-date=3 Apr 2025 |website=[[Miku]]}}</ref> Both the Miku Smart Baby Monitor (standard model) and Miku Pro come with a 12-month manufacturer warranty from the date of purchase.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Miku Inc. Limited Warranty |url=https://mikucare.com/pages/warranty |url-status=live |access-date=4 Apr 2025 |website=[[Miku]]}}</ref>
 
 
 


==Consumer-impact summary==


*User freedom: Miku has a history of taking previously free cloud features and putting them behind a paywall, [[Miku Charges Subscription for Previously Free Features]]
*User privacy: Miku can share data of you and your child with third parties and retain it after closing your Miku account.
*Business model: Private, for-profit. Sells smart baby monitor products and services related to them.
==Incidents==


===Miku charges subscription for previously free features (''2023'')===
[[File:Miku website 99.png|alt=Miku's Website Showcasing their Baby Monitor and $9.99 "Care+" Subscription Service|thumb|[https://mikucare.com/ Miku's Website] Showcasing their Baby Monitor and $9.99 "Care+" Subscription Service]]


=====Additional Controversy Details & Main Article:=====
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Main Article:
!Controversy
![[Miku Charges Subscription for Previously Free Features|'''Miku Charges Subscription for Previously Free Features''']]
!Year
|-
!Background Info
|Year:
!Aftermath
|<u>10/01/2023</u>
!Related Article
|-
!Related Video(s)
|Aftermath:
|<u>Ongoing</u>
|-
|-
|Miku Charges subscription for features that were previously free
|Related articles:
|10/01/2023
|'''[https://old.reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/16zkzj9/my_400_baby_monitor_has_locked_previously_free/ My $400 baby monitor has locked previously free features behind a monthly subscription]<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=4 Oct 2023 |title=My $400 baby monitor has locked previously free features behind a monthly subscription. |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/16zkzj9/my_400_baby_monitor_has_locked_previously_free/ |url-status=live |access-date=4 Apr 2025 |website=Old Reddit}}</ref>'''
|After being Acquired by Innovative Health Monitoring, a subscription service was added to Miku on October 1, 2023 to allow users who had already purchased their Miku Smart Baby Monitoring device to continue using previously free features through the Miku app such as Live Breathing,Sleep Tracking, and push notifications when your baby wakes up. Miku users who had already purchased Miku Care+ were not affected by this new subscription.
|Ongoing
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/16zkzj9/my_400_baby_monitor_has_locked_previously_free/ My $400 baby monitor has locked previously free features behind a monthly subscription]<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 Oct 2023 |title=My $400 baby monitor has locked previously free features behind a monthly subscription. |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/16zkzj9/my_400_baby_monitor_has_locked_previously_free/ |url-status=live |access-date=4 Apr 2025 |website=Old Reddit}}</ref>
[https://assets.mikucloud.com/Innovative_Health_Monitoring-Letter_to_Customers.pdf The document referenced in the reddit post (IHM Acquisition PDF)]<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Letter to Customers |url=https://assets.mikucloud.com/Innovative_Health_Monitoring-Letter_to_Customers.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231010081331/https://assets.mikucloud.com/Innovative_Health_Monitoring-Letter_to_Customers.pdf |archive-date=10 Oct 2023 |access-date=4 Apr 2025}}</ref>
 
|[https://youtube.com/watch?v=nigJMu0lUbM they made a $400 baby monitor a subscription...]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=5 Oct 2023 |title=they made a $400 baby monitor a subscription... |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nigJMu0lUbM |url-status=live |access-date=4 Apr 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>
|-
|-
|Related videos:
|[https://youtube.com/watch?v=nigJMu0lUbM '''they made a $400 baby monitor a subscription...''']'''<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=5 Oct 2023 |title=they made a $400 baby monitor a subscription... |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nigJMu0lUbM |url-status=live |access-date=4 Apr 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>'''
|}
|}


==Controversies==
=====Summarized description:=====
All Miku users received an email on September 15'th 2023 detailing changes to the access Miku customers would have to features on their Miku devices starting October 1'st 2023. According to Miku, "For customers who did not previously subscribe to Care+, many of the features you have been receiving for free will now require a monthly subscription fee. " <ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=And_You_Like_It_Too |date=Dec 16, 2023 |title=How much licensed content does Netflix display in premium formats (4K, HDR/Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos) in the 4K tier? |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/netflix/comments/18k554z/how_much_licensed_content_does_netflix_display_in/ |access-date=May 18, 2025 |website=Reddit}}</ref> Despite many users purchasing their Miku device before these changes were instituted and had no prior knowledge that these changes would be put in place upon purchasing their Miku device, if they did not pay the new ''"care+"'' subscription fee, access to services on their Miku device would be revoked.


===Miku Charges Subscription for Previously Free Features:===
==Miku Terms of Service and arbitration clause==
<blockquote>''Main Article: [[Miku Charges Subscription for Previously Free Features]]''</blockquote>All Miku users received an email on September 15'th 2023 detailing changes to the access Miku customers would have to features on their Miku devices starting October 1'st 2023. According to Miku, "For customers who did not previously subscribe to Care+, many of the features you have been receiving for free will now require a monthly subscription fee. " <ref name=":1" /> Despite many users purchasing their Miku device before these changes were instituted and had no prior knowledge that these changes would be put in place upon purchasing their Miku device, if they did not pay the new ''"care+"'' subscription fee, access to services on their Miku device would be revoked.
[[File:Miku TOS snippet.png|alt=A Snippet of Miku's Terms of Service page Captured Aug 16, 2025.|thumb|A Snippet of [https://mikucare.com/pages/terms-of-service Miku's Terms of Service page] Captured Aug 16, 2025.]]


==Important Terms of Service notes and Arbitration Notices==
=====Additional details & main article:=====
The Miku [[Terms of service|ToS]] is long, and can be potentially confusing for customers to understand. This section is meant to summarize and highlight important parts of the Miku TOS. Specifically, this section will cover:
{| class="wikitable"
 
!Main Article:
#Miku customer requirements & restrictions.
!'''[[Miku Terms of Service and Arbitration]]'''
#Miku's ability to change aspects of their services and your immediate agreement to them.
|-
#The Customer's rights to stop using Miku services or products.
|Effective Date:
#Customer data retained after canceling Miku services.
|9/22/2023
#Miku's commitment to making content available on their services.
|-
#Miku's [[Forced arbitration|Forced Arbitration clause]].
|Last Updated On:
 
|6/12/2024
====1. Miku Customer Requirements, Restrictions & Reservations.====
|}
<blockquote>
====''<u>Requirements:</u>''====
</blockquote>
 
Through using Miku services, submitting data to Miku services, or setting up Miku products. Miku is allowed to collect personal data of you and your child. Any data collected about children is collected from the parent as the "guardian".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Miku ToS section "What about my privacy?" |url=https://mikucare.com/pages/terms-of-service#toc2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250722045420/https://mikucare.com/pages/terms-of-service#toc2 |archive-date=22 Jul 2025 |access-date=16 Aug 2025 |website=Miku ToS section "What about my privacy?"}}</ref>
 
Any content or data you share or otherwise upload or edit on Miku services gives Miku "a '''worldwide''', '''non-exclusive''', '''perpetual''', '''royalty-free''', fully paid, sublicensable and transferable license to '''use''', '''edit''', '''modify''', '''truncate''', '''aggregate''', '''reproduce''', '''distribute''', '''prepare derivative works of''', '''display''', '''perform''', and otherwise '''<u>fully exploit the User Submissions in connection with the Services and our (and our successors’ and assigns’) businesses</u>''', including without limitation '''for promoting''' and '''redistributing part or all of the Services''' (and derivative works thereof) in any media formats and '''<u>through any media channels</u>''' (including, without limitation, third party websites and feeds), '''<u>and including after your termination of your account or the Services.</u>'''"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Miku ToS section "Do I have to grant any licenses to Miku or to other users?" |url=https://mikucare.com/pages/terms-of-service#toc7 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250722045420/https://mikucare.com/pages/terms-of-service#toc7 |archive-date=22 Jul 2025 |access-date=16 Aug 2025 |website=Miku ToS section "Do I have to grant any licenses to Miku or to other users?"}}</ref>
 
<blockquote>
====<u>''Restrictions:''</u>====
</blockquote>Miku has many restrictions it places on customers upon agreement to their terms of service, Miku's ToS begins in this section by stating:
 
"You represent, warrant, and agree that you will not contribute any Content or User Submission (each of those terms is defined below) or otherwise use the Services or interact with the Services in a manner that:"
 
following this, many restrictions are put in place, of those, these are the ones that violate consumer rights:
 
*Decompiles, reverse engineers, or otherwise attempts to obtain the source code or underlying ideas or information of, or relating to, the Services;
*Jeopardizes the security of your Miku account or anyone else’s (such as allowing someone else to log in to the Services as you);
*Builds a competitive product or service using the Services, or builds a product or service using similar ideas, features, functions, or graphics as the Services or determines whether the Services are within the scope of any patent;
 
As can be seen from the ToS, if Miku were to stop providing access to Miku care+ services or general infrastructure. Independent developers would not be able to create or otherwise "revive" the use of these services through creating an open-source replacement or plug-in for Miku devices without violating their terms of service.
 
<blockquote>
====<u>''Reservations:''</u>====
</blockquote>
 
Miku reserves the right to remove, edit, or modify any content at their sole discretion, at any time, without notice to the customer including but not limited to the following reasons:  
 
*No reason at all
*Allegations from third parties or authorities concerning the content
*to remove or block any content from the services.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Miku ToS section "What are my rights in Miku?" |url=https://mikucare.com/pages/terms-of-service#toc6 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250722045420/https://mikucare.com/pages/terms-of-service#toc6 |archive-date=22 Jul 2025 |access-date=16 Aug 2025 |website=Miku ToS section "What are my rights in Miku?"}}</ref>
 
====2. Miku's ability to change aspects of their services and your immediate agreement to them.====
 
* Miku can change their paid services at any time, <u>including eliminating all or parts of their paid services</u>, without notice to the customer<ref>{{Cite web |title=Miku ToS section "Does Miku cost anything?" |url=https://mikucare.com/pages/terms-of-service#toc11 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250722045420/https://mikucare.com/pages/terms-of-service#toc11 |archive-date=22 Jul 2025 |access-date=16 Aug 2025 |website=Miku ToS section "Does Miku cost anything?"}}</ref>
* Miku can change their terms of service any time, if changes are made to their ToS, Miku claims: "will do our best to bring it to your attention by placing a notice on the Miku website, by sending you an email, and/or by some other means." Miku also notes: "If you use the Services in any way after a change to the Terms are effective, you agree to the changes to the Terms."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Miku ToS section "Will these Terms ever change?" |url=https://mikucare.com/pages/terms-of-service#toc1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250722045420/https://mikucare.com/pages/terms-of-service#toc1 |archive-date=22 Jul 2025 |access-date=16 Aug 2025 |website=Miku ToS section "Will these Terms ever change?"}}</ref>
 
====3. The Customer's right to stop using Miku services or products.====
content here
 
====4. Customer data retained after canceling Miku services.====
content here
 
====5. Miku's commitment to making content available on their services.====
content here
 
====6. Miku's [[Forced arbitration|Forced Arbitration clause]].====
content here
 
==[Rough work] Interesting parts of the Miku TOS<ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=https://mikucare.com/pages/terms-of-service}}</ref>==<!-- Do I have to grant any licenses to Miku or to other users?
 
By submitting User Submissions through the Services, you hereby do and shall grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty-free, fully paid, sublicensable and transferable license to use, edit, modify, truncate, aggregate, reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works of, display, perform, and otherwise fully exploit the User Submissions in connection with the Services and our (and our successors’ and assigns’) businesses, including without limitation for promoting and redistributing part or all of the Services (and derivative works thereof) in any media formats and through any media channels (including, without limitation, third party websites and feeds), and including after your termination of your account or the Services.


https://mikucare.com/pages/terms-of-service#toc7 -->
=====Summarized description:=====
This article presents a summarized version of the Miku Terms of Service and Arbitration clause within it. Within the article, important Terms of Service information is provided to help others gain a better understanding of their agreement between themselves and Miku, and the rights and freedoms the have upon agreement to Miku's Terms of Service.


==References==
==References:==
<references />
<references />
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Latest revision as of 08:43, 17 August 2025

Miku
Basic information
Founded 2018
Legal structure Private, For Profit
Industry Smart Baby Monitors
Official website https://mikucare.com

Miku is a private for-profit company that was founded in 2018 by Eric White.[1] Miku sells smart baby monitors with features such as night vision, sensors for temperature, humidity and ambient light, a 1080p camera, 7-day video storage, and audio/video recording capabilities.[2] Both the Miku Smart Baby Monitor (standard model) and Miku Pro come with a 12-month manufacturer warranty from the date of purchase.[2][3]



Consumer-impact summary[edit | edit source]

  • User freedom: Miku has a history of taking previously free cloud features and putting them behind a paywall, Miku Charges Subscription for Previously Free Features
  • User privacy: Miku can share data of you and your child with third parties and retain it after closing your Miku account.
  • Business model: Private, for-profit. Sells smart baby monitor products and services related to them.

Incidents[edit | edit source]

Miku charges subscription for previously free features (2023)[edit | edit source]

Miku's Website Showcasing their Baby Monitor and $9.99 "Care+" Subscription Service
Miku's Website Showcasing their Baby Monitor and $9.99 "Care+" Subscription Service
Additional Controversy Details & Main Article:[edit | edit source]
Main Article: Miku Charges Subscription for Previously Free Features
Year: 10/01/2023
Aftermath: Ongoing
Related articles: My $400 baby monitor has locked previously free features behind a monthly subscription[4]
Related videos: they made a $400 baby monitor a subscription...[5]
Summarized description:[edit | edit source]

All Miku users received an email on September 15'th 2023 detailing changes to the access Miku customers would have to features on their Miku devices starting October 1'st 2023. According to Miku, "For customers who did not previously subscribe to Care+, many of the features you have been receiving for free will now require a monthly subscription fee. " [6] Despite many users purchasing their Miku device before these changes were instituted and had no prior knowledge that these changes would be put in place upon purchasing their Miku device, if they did not pay the new "care+" subscription fee, access to services on their Miku device would be revoked.

Miku Terms of Service and arbitration clause[edit | edit source]

A Snippet of Miku's Terms of Service page Captured Aug 16, 2025.
A Snippet of Miku's Terms of Service page Captured Aug 16, 2025.
Additional details & main article:[edit | edit source]
Main Article: Miku Terms of Service and Arbitration
Effective Date: 9/22/2023
Last Updated On: 6/12/2024
Summarized description:[edit | edit source]

This article presents a summarized version of the Miku Terms of Service and Arbitration clause within it. Within the article, important Terms of Service information is provided to help others gain a better understanding of their agreement between themselves and Miku, and the rights and freedoms the have upon agreement to Miku's Terms of Service.

References:[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "Our Founder Shares Why He Built the Miku Smart Baby Monitor". Miku. 4 Oct 2019. Retrieved 4 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Specs". Miku. Retrieved 3 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ↑ "Miku Inc. Limited Warranty". Miku. Retrieved 4 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ↑ "My $400 baby monitor has locked previously free features behind a monthly subscription". Old Reddit. 4 Oct 2023. Retrieved 4 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ↑ Rossmann, Louis (5 Oct 2023). "they made a $400 baby monitor a subscription..." YouTube. Retrieved 4 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ↑ And_You_Like_It_Too (Dec 16, 2023). "How much licensed content does Netflix display in premium formats (4K, HDR/Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos) in the 4K tier?". Reddit. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
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