VidAngel-Disney Settlement Reached; PTC Says Efforts to Update Family Movie Act for Streaming Platforms Will Remain

LOS ANGELES (September 8, 2020) – The Parents Television Council responded to VidAngel’s settlement with Disney, cautioning that the settlement does not negate the need for content filtering on streaming platforms.

“We understand and appreciate that VidAngel, through this agreement, has settled its longstanding legal dispute with Disney about its content filtering platform. Yet, from our standpoint, absolutely nothing has changed as it relates to the need to ensure that content filtering applies to today’s popular streaming media platforms, and that the Family Movie Act is updated to do that,” said PTC President Tim Winter.

“After a careful review of the settlement agreement, the reality is that Disney is paying VidAngel over $50 million dollars for VidAngel’s promise not to filter Disney content, for VidAngel’s promise not to share their filtering technology with anyone else who would filter Disney content, and – here’s the biggest component – for VidAngel’s promise not to lobby for a legislative update to the Family Movie Act.

“I sat in the federal courtroom last year and listened to the verbal arguments put forth by Disney and its studio allies in this case. It was abundantly apparent then, and it is abundantly apparent now, that Disney cared not one lot for any proclaimed economic harm from VidAngel’s filtering service. There was no harm. Rather, their sole objective was to kill VidAngel’s filtering technology in the crib, and to prevent it from reaching critical mass in the marketplace. I said so publicly then, and I say so publicly now.

“Ultimately, we will continue to advocate for an update to the Family Movie Act of 2005 that will extend content filtering to streaming platforms. Families, not the studios, should be the ultimate arbiters of the entertainment content that enters their homes. And filtering technology allows just that, while also allowing Hollywood’s creative community to produce the material they want,” Winter concluded.