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Complaint about possible racial ad in a movie theatre

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Newuser1000001

Junior Member
I was recently watching a movie at a movie theatre in Texas and I was very surprised to see certain premovie videos that seemed to show Asian men in poor light. I personally felt disturbed watching it and feel its racially discriminating and in poor taste. What can be done legally about this? I did send them a warning email to pull the video off.
 


quincy

Senior Member
I was recently watching a movie at a movie theatre in Texas and I was very surprised to see certain premovie videos that seemed to show Asian men in poor light. I personally felt disturbed watching it and feel its racially discriminating and in poor taste. What can be done legally about this? I did send them a warning email to pull the video off.
Nothing can be done legally about a movie theater showing movie trailers or ads. You can express your displeasure as you did.
 
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PayrollHRGuy

Senior Member
There is no law against showing an ad of any kind showing any racial group in a poor light in the US.

You can certainly voice your concerns to the theater and/or the advertiser.
 

quincy

Senior Member
Please cite me a law that would make a advertisement that showed a race in a poor light.
The most important federal government controls over advertising are exercised by the Federal Trade Commission. In addition, broadcasters self-regulate and are given the right to refuse advertising messages (with an exception for certain political ads). And states can regulate commercial messages.

The US Supreme Court laid out a four-part test on regulating commercial advertising: one, whether the expression is protected by the First Amendment (must concern a legal activity and not be misleading or fraudulent), and two, if government interest in restricting the commercial speech is substantial, and three, if regulation directly advances this government interest, and four, whether the regulation is more extensive than necessary to serve that interest.

The content of an advertisement is important. You saw government restrictions on tobacco advertising, for an example, and some states regulate ads for alcohol. Content can be censored.
 
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Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
"Poor light" is a vague and undefined term. I agree that there are no laws specifically against showing anybody in a "poor light", but there are laws against more specific content.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
An advertisement for a movie about the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor shows Japanese men in a "poor light", but is perfectly legal. I think PayrollHRGuy was vague enough that his statement is correct.
 

quincy

Senior Member
An advertisement for a movie about the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor shows Japanese men in a "poor light", but is perfectly legal. I think PayrollHRGuy was vague enough that his statement is correct.
Perhaps.

I found his comment misleading as there can be controls over advertising content by broadcasters, by states and by the federal government.
 
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PayrollHRGuy

Senior Member
I'll use context as my defense.

1. The OP specifically asked about an advertisement in a movie theater. They could run an ad for membership in the KKK if they wanted.
2. The OP specifically was talking about an ad about a movie that showed a racial group in a poor light. A movie showing a racial group in a poor light would be protected free speech. Hence an advertisement for it would likely be as well in just about any venue.
 

quincy

Senior Member
I'll use context as my defense.

1. The OP specifically asked about an advertisement in a movie theater. They could run an ad for membership in the KKK if they wanted.
2. The OP specifically was talking about an ad about a movie that showed a racial group in a poor light. A movie showing a racial group in a poor light would be protected free speech. Hence an advertisement for it would likely be as well in just about any venue.
Okay. In the context of this thread, your statement could be excusable ... but I really wish you had left the bolded portions out of your latest post.

It really depends on the specific content (the "poor light") whether the content is protected.

And taken out of the context of this thread, your original statement is not correct.
 
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PayrollHRGuy

Senior Member
I get hammered when I answer in context and then I get hammered when I expand the context to defend the in context answer.

I'm glad it is Friday.
 

quincy

Senior Member
I get hammered when I answer in context and then I get hammered when I expand the context to defend the in context answer.

I'm glad it is Friday.
Sorry, PayRollHRGuy. I am being a bit obnoxious. I understand what you mean by what you are saying.
 

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