AfterDawn: News

DVD kiosk sparks contreversy over R-rated movies

A City Councilman in Union City, Indiana wants to force the owner of a McDonald's franchise to either remove the Redbox DVD rental kiosk that sits outside, or stock it with nothing but G rated movies.

After reportedly asking franchise owner Rick Reichenbach to either remove the machine or change the selection of available movies, Bryan Conklin intends to file for an injunction from the state forcing the removal of the movies. He said “Our intention is that, if this is going to be for the general public, then we are asking them to have G-rated films only.”



Redbox VP of marketing Gary Lancina said, “Redbox is intended for use by customers age 18 years and older. We feel the appropriate measures are in place to allow parents and families to make educated choices regarding age-appropriate entertainment options when using Redbox kiosks.” He added “Any time a customer selects an R-rated Title, a screen appears informing the customer that they will be renting a DVD with an R-rating. Customers then have a chance to select a different movie or proceed with their rental. To date, we have not experienced problems regarding age restrictions."

Conklin has gotten support from traditional brick and mortar rental operations, who say they only want Redbox held to the same standards as everyone else. “We are monitored for what we rent, and no one is monitoring these machines,” said Alan Denney, owner of local video rental store K and K Video. “Wal-Mart even has to validate certain transactions, since they have an image to protect.”

Source: Video Business

Written by: Rich Fiscus @ 7 Oct 2007 13:47

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• 22 comments

• ZippyDSM

  Nothing like the nanny nazis to ruin a bad meal...LOL

  7.10.2007 14:08 #1

• Unfocused

  Presumably, the use of a credit card to pay would imply a viewer of at least 18, but I could see a few 10 year olds gaining access to Mommy's purse...
  
  Maybe they can get those airport facial scanner things to run a full background check of the user....

  7.10.2007 14:40 #2

• ydkjman

  if this is going to be for the general public
  
  Then guess what, you can bet they don't just want G-rated movies !!!

  7.10.2007 16:47 #3

• georgeluv

  Originally posted by Unfocused: Presumably, the use of a credit card to pay would imply a viewer of at least 18minors are not restricted from obtaining or using credit cards or debit cards that can be used as credit cards. also they are not restricted from obtaining or using pre-paid debit cards.

  7.10.2007 21:05 #4

• duke8888

  WHat they are doing has been around for a long time its called Community Standards. I lived in Jacksonville Florida and it was against the law to rent or buy an adult dvd through the mail. They outlawed the Playboy channel and get this one NYPD Blue was blocked out! The station accidently aired it one night and they raided thestation and took everyone in to jail. I owned a computer store and sold a copy oft he game Lesiure suit Larry to an undercover cop along with a cd of Playboy Clanedars and they arrested me for selling illicict material.

  8.10.2007 05:56 #5

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by duke8888: WHat they are doing has been around for a long time its called Community Standards. I lived in Jacksonville Florida and it was against the law to rent or buy an adult dvd through the mail. They outlawed the Playboy channel and get this one NYPD Blue was blocked out! The station accidently aired it one night and they raided thestation and took everyone in to jail. I owned a computer store and sold a copy oft he game Lesiure suit Larry to an undercover cop along with a cd of Playboy Clanedars and they arrested me for selling illicict material.Welcome to the 50s 0-o

  8.10.2007 05:59 #6

• lawndog

  Now most off you I'm sure will jump my A@@ on this one, but here goes. This perticular redbox is located outside of a McDonalds which their demagraphic is young children. These same young children can go across the street get a prepaid credit card at 7-11 then go get a movie of their choice. Now when I was 15, took my parents blockbuster up to rent a R rated movie I couldn't because it was for 17 and older viewing. Who is to stop these kids from getting an R rated movie?
  
  K let's look at this a different way, If your child we're to go to McDonalds, trip over a mop handle that somebody left out. Your kid came home and busted out a tooth. Would you be upset that McDonalds was not careful enough to prevent and incident like this happening?
  
  Anouther one.......... You go out 1 night on a lovely date with your wife nad leave your kid at home by themselves, he's 13-14 so it's ok. Now he knows he can watch a couple R rated movies but he really wanted to see a certain 1 because all his friends are taalking about it, but he knows you as his parents wouldn't approve. So he goes get's it at Redbox, well you and your wife want to come home early to "go to bed", but walk in and he's their watchin some movie that you would not have approved of.
  Who do you get mad at???
  The child, yes, but some resposibilites also lie on redbox, because they have a computer asking if the child is 17 not an actual person.
  If you allow this what is to stop a 7 year old girl from taking here mastercard prepaid card that she got for her birthday, and going to get SAW, or the ring? Besides this rating system is the same one that rates NC-17 and X-rated movies, why bother having a rateing system if it's not enforced.
  I understand that some of you feel that it is impeding on your rights. We as adults also have resposibilities, one of those is to take care our children, and the children of others.
  I do have a daughter, she's gonna be 7 this month, I never let her outta my site, but 1 day I know I will have to let her go to McDonalds alone. (I went alone when I was 7, so she will when shes 27 J/K) I would hope that when I let her outta by nest alone(9-11?not an adult), that my community will still treat her like a child, until, treat my child as you would treat yours.
  This may be a little off topic for me, I am usually very pro rights, read some of my other posts, you'll see. But, this 1 I feel is more about the kids, our kids as a socity.
  
  Just my thoughts
  LD
  
  
  for those that wanna jump my butt feel free. We'll debate.... hell, maybe I am wrong.
  Those that wanna correct my spelling and grammer usage....suck off

  9.10.2007 13:38 #7

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by lawndog: Now most off you I'm sure will jump my A@@ on this one, but here goes. This perticular redbox is located outside of a McDonalds which their demagraphic is young children. These same young children can go across the street get a prepaid credit card at 7-11 then go get a movie of their choice. Now when I was 15, took my parents blockbuster up to rent a R rated movie I couldn't because it was for 17 and older viewing. Who is to stop these kids from getting an R rated movie?
  
  K let's look at this a different way, If your child we're to go to McDonalds, trip over a mop handle that somebody left out. Your kid came home and busted out a tooth. Would you be upset that McDonalds was not careful enough to prevent and incident like this happening?
  
  Anouther one.......... You go out 1 night on a lovely date with your wife nad leave your kid at home by themselves, he's 13-14 so it's ok. Now he knows he can watch a couple R rated movies but he really wanted to see a certain 1 because all his friends are taalking about it, but he knows you as his parents wouldn't approve. So he goes get's it at Redbox, well you and your wife want to come home early to "go to bed", but walk in and he's their watchin some movie that you would not have approved of.
  Who do you get mad at???
  The child, yes, but some resposibilites also lie on redbox, because they have a computer asking if the child is 17 not an actual person.
  If you allow this what is to stop a 7 year old girl from taking here mastercard prepaid card that she got for her birthday, and going to get SAW, or the ring? Besides this rating system is the same one that rates NC-17 and X-rated movies, why bother having a rateing system if it's not enforced.
  I understand that some of you feel that it is impeding on your rights. We as adults also have resposibilities, one of those is to take care our children, and the children of others.
  I do have a daughter, she's gonna be 7 this month, I never let her outta my site, but 1 day I know I will have to let her go to McDonalds alone. (I went alone when I was 7, so she will when shes 27 J/K) I would hope that when I let her outta by nest alone(9-11?not an adult), that my community will still treat her like a child, until, treat my child as you would treat yours.
  This may be a little off topic for me, I am usually very pro rights, read some of my other posts, you'll see. But, this 1 I feel is more about the kids, our kids as a socity.
  
  Just my thoughts
  LD
  
  
  for those that wanna jump my butt feel free. We'll debate.... hell, maybe I am wrong.
  Those that wanna correct my spelling and grammer usage....suck off
  then by all means lets remove cars because some people drive badly and hurt others, you can not remove it "just because" if its by a school I'll bite on the "kiddy demagrphic" spew and one could reasonably argue the renter of the unit needs to have it stocked with slightly diffrently if thats not a option there then so be it still no reason to whine about my, I mean come on what are kids doing unsupervised at a mcdeaths anyway.....that sht is deadly!
  
  Reason people reason,this lacks reason , as I said if its in a grade/middle school area then prehaps it needs to be checked if they can lower it to G-PG13 however if its high school area this is a non issue damaging the definition of morals.

  9.10.2007 13:52 #8

• lawndog

  I think I may have miss typed, by no means am I saying to remove the redbox at McDonalds, just make it Kid friendly. PG-13 and lower would more than apease me. But I also agree with why the kid would be unsupervised especially at McD's. I think there is a time and place for everything, and a proper place for everything. R rated movies at a McD's is I think a little stretch, PG-13 I would 100% back though. I would say if you wanna put R-rated at say a Starbucks, an adult/older teenager place I would accept that.
  Personally, and I think it's a little bit to much, but........
  What if Redbox could scan a drivers license if they sold R rated or above. But, again I think that is asking a little to much.
  But I think more strategic locations of pacific ratings is not to much......?????????
  Yall?
  LD

  9.10.2007 17:30 #9

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by lawndog: I think I may have miss typed, by no means am I saying to remove the redbox at McDonalds, just make it Kid friendly. PG-13 and lower would more than apease me. But I also agree with why the kid would be unsupervised especially at McD's. I think there is a time and place for everything, and a proper place for everything. R rated movies at a McD's is I think a little stretch, PG-13 I would 100% back though. I would say if you wanna put R-rated at say a Starbucks, an adult/older teenager place I would accept that.
  Personally, and I think it's a little bit to much, but........
  What if Redbox could scan a drivers license if they sold R rated or above. But, again I think that is asking a little to much.
  But I think more strategic locations of pacific ratings is not to much......?????????
  Yall?
  LDMmmmm I dunno you have people working there as well as their friends saying a 16+ watchign a R rated flick is the end of the world is a bit much, plus if the parents are not watching over the kids and making sure they dont have Ccards and what not or even watching R rated flicks...its like the cig and beer vending machines they weren't the great evil until the nanny nazis complained.
  
  Again parenting over nanny nazis, always!
  
  Altho on sex ed it should be mandatory with a opt out option >>

  9.10.2007 17:42 #10

• lawndog

  Ya I understand your point of view, but it seems really stupid to me to put a rating on a movie, but not to enforce it. If a 15 year old can go get a R-rated dvd at a kiosk, why shouldn't he be able 2 see a R movie at a theater? It's a double standard. Or why can't he rent that DVD at Blockbuster. It's gotta be fare for all parties involved. But a major problem is why have a rating system or age restriction if it won't be enforced. They (ratings) are set in place through studies, ans shrinks, on what maturity can handle what phsilogically. And if we as a socity don't want to fallow those restictions why have them in place.
  It has been proven a younger mind cannot handle the items in an R rated movie. Wether you believe it or not it is the truth. So there is a restriction put in place. the people that HAVE to follow it, Blockbuster, Walmart etc.. are upset about the fact that a kiosk does not have to fallow that same guideline. Why do we hold Blockbuster acountable but not the kiosk? is that fair busness practise. No it should be a level playing field that all competators have to fallow the same rules, whether paying with a credit card or not!
  ok I'm done for now. Remember it's a debate people, just so yall know I could care less just pointing out different points of views.
  LD

  9.10.2007 20:25 #11

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by lawndog: Ya I understand your point of view, but it seems really stupid to me to put a rating on a movie, but not to enforce it. If a 15 year old can go get a R-rated dvd at a kiosk, why shouldn't he be able 2 see a R movie at a theater? It's a double standard. Or why can't he rent that DVD at Blockbuster. It's gotta be fare for all parties involved. But a major problem is why have a rating system or age restriction if it won't be enforced. They (ratings) are set in place through studies, ans shrinks, on what maturity can handle what phsilogically. And if we as a socity don't want to fallow those restictions why have them in place.
  It has been proven a younger mind cannot handle the items in an R rated movie. Wether you believe it or not it is the truth. So there is a restriction put in place. the people that HAVE to follow it, Blockbuster, Walmart etc.. are upset about the fact that a kiosk does not have to fallow that same guideline. Why do we hold Blockbuster acountable but not the kiosk? is that fair busness practise. No it should be a level playing field that all competators have to fallow the same rules, whether paying with a credit card or not!
  ok I'm done for now. Remember it's a debate people, just so yall know I could care less just pointing out different points of views.
  LDIts simple machines are stupid, so either we protect beyond reason or let parents sort it out, "we" can't protect parents from everything and on the scales of things to do this is the lowest and easiest to gain appearance of morals and pander for votes...
  
  Again its a machine that spites out the video, either you remove it limit it either way you are complicit in nannying the area, I will admit if its a school zone thats a good reason but a random MCdeath?
  
  Also its not porn its not that damaging(if you follow the game bashing any you will see alot of "common" moral judgments about the iussues are more wishful thinking than fact) they are goign to find their lil vids,pics and what not with or with out it, this whole thing is a feel good issue than removing steak from a mcy'D's,parents need to parent and parents need to be reminded to parent >> .
  
  Again the only way I could see it as reasonable if it where in a school zone or 400 feet from one ,day care dose not count,churches do not count........just because they offer quick meals that kids might like dose not make them a kiddie zone altho if they have a outside play area...ya...that has kids zone written all over it,however this mentailty of "Our intention is that, if this is going to be for the general public, then we are asking them to have G-rated films only.”
  Need to be fought 150%, general public is suddenly G no wonder collage people are called kids and you can go to war but cant have a beer......if he said PG 13 I would have not dragged out the war hammer....

  9.10.2007 20:44 #12

• lawndog

  no i agree with you on the G vs PG-13 thing. Hell my daughter is 7 so I watch Alot of movies with her and I let her watch PG 13 almost all the time. G movies are, well for kids, they evan bore my daughter. BTW her favorite shows on TV are Justice League ans SWAT Cats, not the typical lil girl. I've said my points and think we've come to a middle ground and agree to some what disagree. That there is a time and place for everything you say restrict within school zones(PG-13), but other areas are ok with R. Hell, I don't really care.
  Zippy, It's been fun, but I'm bored with this now.lol
  So if you wanna consider yourself the victor go for it.
  Have fun,
  LD

  10.10.2007 15:34 #13

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by lawndog: no i agree with you on the G vs PG-13 thing. Hell my daughter is 7 so I watch Alot of movies with her and I let her watch PG 13 almost all the time. G movies are, well for kids, they evan bore my daughter. BTW her favorite shows on TV are Justice League ans SWAT Cats, not the typical lil girl. I've said my points and think we've come to a middle ground and agree to some what disagree. That there is a time and place for everything you say restrict within school zones(PG-13), but other areas are ok with R. Hell, I don't really care.
  Zippy, It's been fun, but I'm bored with this now.lol
  So if you wanna consider yourself the victor go for it.
  Have fun,
  LDOoo tomboy....teach her well to smite boys ^_~
  
  no bad...BTW swat cats is awesome ^^ JL a bit so so then again I get the WTF alarms with some fo the sht they do on it.
  
  As I said depends on the area if it truly is a high traffic kids area then sure fine if not theres no reason to do it, BTW its not illict to show minors R rated metrial yet so they do not have to, the only reason the rent and theaters do is is to appaer family friendly,even renting places have it as a option for each customer to chose for their account,I see this as crying foul over mostly nothing..

  10.10.2007 15:42 #14

• SCAMPER

  It's 1984 and Big Brother is here.

  13.10.2007 08:18 #15

• ZzeusS

  If this goes through, then you're going to have to remove any non-monitored kiosk like this all over the United States. Not going to happen.

  13.10.2007 11:29 #16

• raceman94

  Tsk, tsk, tsk.

  13.10.2007 15:36 #17

• hastypete

  OH NO! It's the end of the friggin world!
  Kids watching 'R' rated movies!
  Corrupted for life! We must stop this instanity!
  
  Dumb a@# whiners. all of them. Can't control their kids.
  Must make sure bad things aren't available to kids.
  Can't teach them to do the right..... must force them.
  It's the only way.
  
  Maybe not, you nazi freaks. Didn't work for them, won't work for you. Just educate your damn kids then let em loose. Dumb $#!ts.

  14.10.2007 16:02 #18

• pryme_H

  The councilman brough up a good argument; but then it's America...land of the free!

  14.10.2007 19:17 #19

• ZippyDSM

  Only if its a school zone should it even be brought up.... unless macdeaths is hiring 13 year olds....

  14.10.2007 19:23 #20

• borhan9

  Well should they just not allow under age users access this stuff and if a user wants to gain access they have to show i.d and then the guy over the counter can give him a password and then they can access it however it should not be placed in a public viewing area.

  18.10.2007 17:22 #21

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by borhan9: Well should they just not allow under age users access this stuff and if a user wants to gain access they have to show i.d and then the guy over the counter can give him a password and then they can access it however it should not be placed in a public viewing area.it could work.. but I think its a bit much.

  18.10.2007 17:27 #22