Hot to Compensate Customers with 4 Million Shekels in Benefits Over Forbidden Children’s Content

Israeli cable company Hot will compensate all its customers with viewing benefits valued at 4 million shekels following a class-action settlement approved by the Tel Aviv District Court on Monday. The lawsuit, filed in 2022 by two minors through their mother, alleged that Hot broadcast harmful content to children, including violence, sexual material, and drug use, during prohibited hours. Some content was even rated 18+ but aired at times when children could watch.

The compensation will be granted automatically without requiring any action from customers. It includes a free one-month subscription to the Israeli children’s channel Hop and the KIDZ content library. Customers already subscribed to these services will instead receive free access to the Zoom Tone library. Notifications about the benefits will appear on customers’ monthly bills and as an on-screen message before the benefits begin, which will also end automatically after the designated period.

Hot argued that the content came from external providers and that it offers advanced parental controls. The company also claimed the legal requirements cited by the plaintiffs were outdated and difficult to implement, noting ongoing legislative changes. As part of the settlement, Hot committed to improving its future content management and enforcing broadcast time restrictions with content providers.

Judge Michal Amit Anisman, who approved the settlement, rejected the state’s claim that the compensation was merely a marketing move, ruling that granting benefits to all customers was the most appropriate solution since it is impossible to identify which subscribers have children exposed to the broadcasts. Attorney Yigal Levy, representing the plaintiffs, called the ruling a significant achievement for public protection, ensuring a safer television environment for children. Hot was represented by attorney Orit Malka from the law firm Fischer & Co.