HOT to Pay 4 Million NIS in Compensation Following Class Action Over Prohibited Content
The Tel Aviv District Court has approved a settlement in a class action lawsuit against HOT. The company will provide customers with 4 million NIS worth of free viewing benefits as compensation for broadcasting content unsuitable for minors.
Do you have children and are you a HOT customer? It is important to know that HOT will compensate all its customers with viewing benefits totaling 4 million NIS as part of a settlement agreement in a class action lawsuit, which was approved on Monday by the Tel Aviv District Court.
The request to approve the class action was filed in 2022 by two minors through their mother. The compensation, which will be provided automatically without the need for any active action by customers, includes free access for one month to the 'Hop! Israeli Childhood' channel and the 'KIDZ' library. Customers already subscribed to these services will receive free access to the 'Zoom Ton' library instead.
Notification of the benefits will be provided within the monthly invoice and via a pop-up message on the television screen. The settlement followed claims by attorneys Igal Levy, Ohad Rosen, and Nathan Schwartzman that HOT broadcasted content involving violence, sex, and drug use during hours when such display is prohibited. It was further alleged that some content was classified for viewing from age 18, yet aired during restricted hours.
HOT argued that the content belongs to external providers and that the company provides parents with advanced filtering tools. The company also claimed that the legal provisions relied upon by the applicants were anachronistic.
'This is an effective application of the Class Actions Law and a significant achievement for the benefit of the public, which will ensure the protection of minors while watching television, which, especially in the current era, should be a safe environment for them,' stated attorney Igal Levy.
Judge Michal Amit-Anisman rejected the state's claim that this was merely a marketing move, ruling that providing the benefit to all customers is the most appropriate method. Alongside the compensation, HOT committed to regulating its future procedures and enforcing legal broadcast hours with content providers.
