Redbox: Difference between revisions
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| Release Year = 2002 | | Release Year = 2002 | ||
| Product Type = Video rental and streaming services | | Product Type = Video rental and streaming services | ||
| In Production = No | | In Production = No <small>(ceased trading)</small> | ||
| Official Website = https://web.archive.org/web/20241001080426/https://www.redbox.com/ | | Official Website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20241001080426/https://www.redbox.com/ https://www.redbox.com/] | ||
| Logo = Redbox.png | | Logo = Redbox.png | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''[[Wikipedia:Redbox|Redbox Automated Retail, LLC]],''' was a company founded in 2002 which primarily focused on kiosks, often found in grocery stores or gas stations, where customers could rent DVDs or video games. Redbox also offered a streaming app, where customers could purchase and stream content. In June 2024, its parent company filed for bankruptcy, and the following month, the company was liquidated. | '''[[Wikipedia:Redbox|Redbox Automated Retail, LLC]],''' was a company founded in 2002 by Gregg Kaplan which primarily focused on kiosks, often found in grocery stores or gas stations, where customers could rent DVDs or video games.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dandoadvisors.com/post/from-zero-to-2b-lessons-from-redbox-founder-gregg-kaplan|title=From Zero to $2B: Lessons from Redbox Founder Gregg Kaplan|date=2019-01-14|work=Dando|access-date=2025-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250411014548/https://www.dandoadvisors.com/post/from-zero-to-2b-lessons-from-redbox-founder-gregg-kaplan|archive-date=2025-04-11|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2020, Redbox also offered a streaming app, where customers could purchase and stream content.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/02/17/redbox-enters-the-free-ad-supported-streaming-market/?guccounter=1|title=Redbox enters the free, ad-supported streaming market|first=Sarah|last=Perez|date=2020-02-17|work=TechCrunch|access-date=2025-04-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250411015210/https://techcrunch.com/2020/02/17/redbox-enters-the-free-ad-supported-streaming-market/|archive-date=2025-04-11|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2022 Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment acquired Redbox while the company had $300 million in debt.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/30/business/chicken-soup-for-soul-bankruptcy.html|title=Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment Files Chapter 11|first=Sara|last=Ruberg|date=2024-06-30|work=The New York Times|access-date=2025-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250225100748/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/30/business/chicken-soup-for-soul-bankruptcy.html|archive-date=2025-02-25|url-status=live}}</ref> In June 2024, its parent company filed for bankruptcy, and the following month, the company was liquidated.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/1dxn7p9/a_redbox_retrospective_from_an_employee/|title=A Redbox Retrospective from an Employee|author=u/AzothHg|date=2024-07-07|work=Reddit|access-date=2025-04-10|archive-url=https://archive.ph/27pO2|archive-date=2024-07-25|url-status=live}}</ref> | ||
== | ==Consumer impact summary== | ||
====Freedom==== | |||
For users in the Redbox Perks Program who make a deletion request, they will be given 5 days notice before their account is deleted.<ref name="privacy">{{Cite web|url=https://redbox.com/privacy|title=Redbox Privacy Policy|date=2023-06-30|work=Redbox|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240730080050/https://www.redbox.com/privacy|archive-date=2024-07-30|url-status=dead}}</ref> Regarding data retention, purchase information, account information (email, username, password, etc.), and video rental history is held for 7 years after the purchase, with driver's licenses and specific card information for 6 months and a year respectively.<ref name="privacy" /> | |||
====Privacy==== | |||
According to the last revision of the Redbox privacy policy, collected data includes contact information (email, phone, address, name), user account information (username, password, settings), payment information, device ID/interaction information (IP address, device model, operating system, etc.), precise/specific location data, transaction information, video history, demographic information (gender, age, zip code), employment information, data revealing ethnic origin, government identification, information about your interests and preferences, user generated content (reviews, forum, surveys), loyalty/rewards information, and educational/biometric data.<ref name="privacy">{{Cite web|url=https://redbox.com/privacy|title=Redbox Privacy Policy|date=2023-06-30|work=Redbox|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240730080050/https://www.redbox.com/privacy|archive-date=2024-07-30|url-status=dead}}</ref> Redbox mentions they do not share personal data "for those third parties’ own direct marketing purposes unless you consent (opt-in or opt-out) to such sharing.", though de-identified information that is made "non-personal" through hashes is shared. These parties include [[Google]] Analytics, [[Facebook]], and [[Twitter]]. | |||
====Business model==== | |||
The business model of Redbox is for customers to rent DVDs from kiosk machines or to rent/buy TV shows and movies. | |||
====Market control==== | |||
Previously, [[Netflix]] and Gamefly were Redbox's biggest competitors. From 2019 to 2024, Redbox made $597.8 million in revenue with Netflix making $181.5 million from DVD rentals.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/industry/dvd-game-video-rental/1370/|title=DVD, Game & Video Rental in the US - Market Research Report (2014-2029)|work=Ibis World|date=2024-12-01|access-date=2025-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126121840/https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/industry/dvd-game-video-rental/1370/|archive-date=2025-01-26|url-status=live}}</ref> With the closure of the Netflix DVD mail service in 2023, Redbox was the primary way to rent DVDs until its bankruptcy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/28/tech/netflix-dvd-rental-movies-ending/index.html|title=Netflix shutters its DVD rental business, marking the end of the red envelope era |first=Samantha|last=Kelly|date=2023-09-29|work=CNN|access-date=2025-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250209124542/https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/28/tech/netflix-dvd-rental-movies-ending/index.html|archive-date=2025-02-09|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
==Incidents== | |||
===Removal of purchased content ''(2024)''=== | |||
{{Main|Redbox revokes access to all digitally purchased movies and shows}} | |||
RedBox found itself bankrupt, largely due to mismanagement from executives and shut down all of its services.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/21/24183454/redbox-universal-missed-payment-17-million|title=Redbox missed a multimillion-dollar payment it couldn’t afford to miss|first=Janko|last=Roettgers|work=The Verge|date=2024-06-21|access-date=2025-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250404122125/https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/21/24183454/redbox-universal-missed-payment-17-million|archive-date=2025-04-04|url-status=live}}</ref> This would not just include the RedBox kiosks, but also their streaming platform. | |||
[[File:Screenshot 2025-01-17 164008.png|thumb|A Roku user who claimed they lost $10,000 worth of content on RedBox.]] | [[File:Screenshot 2025-01-17 164008.png|thumb|A Roku user who claimed they lost $10,000 worth of content on RedBox.]] | ||
From the shutdown, all users who had purchased content could not download or view any content, including one Roku user who claims that they lost approximately $10,000 of media.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://community.roku.com/t5/Channels-viewing/Redbox-bankrupt-app-shows-nothing/m-p/980612/highlight/true#M169649|title=Re: Redbox bankrupt... app shows nothing |author=DSHouston07|work=Roku Community|date=2024-07-06|access-date=2025-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126183301/https://community.roku.com/t5/Channels-viewing/Redbox-bankrupt-app-shows-nothing/m-p/980612/highlight/true#M169649|archive-date=2025-01-26|url-status=live}}</ref> RedBox did not redefine terms such as “own” or “purchase” in their terms of service like Sony. RedBox only limits in their terms of service how many devices purchased content can be downloaded to. | |||
==Broader implications== | ====Broader implications==== | ||
Since this content was purchased digitally and nothing is guaranteed through physical ownership, companies are able to revoke, or suddenly fail to provide legitimately purchased content. Any consumer who bought content on RedBox, using legitimate avenues to view the content, are ultimately punished for viewing content the right way, which incentivizes illegal means of viewing content. | Since this content was purchased digitally and nothing is guaranteed through physical ownership, companies are able to revoke, or suddenly fail to provide legitimately purchased content.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.redbox.com/transactionterms|title=Transaction Terms and Conditions|date=2021-10-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927064054/https://www.redbox.com/transactionterms|archive-date=2024-09-27|url-status=dead}}</ref> Any consumer who bought content on RedBox, using legitimate avenues to view the content, are ultimately punished for viewing content the right way, which incentivizes illegal means of viewing content. | ||
This issue is not limited to Redbox: a similar result may occur with any digital-media company that either goes bankrupt or does not honor terms such as “purchase” or “own”. Every large company that provides digital content engages, or has the capacity to engage, in revoking purchased content, which either were or were not defined in the [[terms of service]]. | This issue is not limited to Redbox: a similar result may occur with any digital-media company that either goes bankrupt or does not honor terms such as “purchase” or “own”. Every large company that provides digital content engages, or has the capacity to engage, in revoking purchased content, which either were or were not defined in the [[terms of service]]. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references /> | |||
==External links== | |||
*[https://www.redboxtinkering.com/ Redbox tinkering community] | |||
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