In a riveting development, the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a law firm championing religious liberty, is slated to engage The Walt Disney Company early this January. The crux of the discussion? An investigation into Disney’s dubious relationship with the now-defunct Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM), an advertising behemoth infamous for its alleged censorship of conservative news voices.
According to the House Judiciary Committee, the GARM framework likely ran afoul of federal antitrust regulations, executing a systematic boycott against conservative expression. Disney’s affiliation with this initiative, which it embarked upon shortly after GARM’s 2019 inception, raised eyebrows—culminating in its dissolution last year amid increasing scrutiny.
“No colossal corporation should bolster enterprises that perpetrate such blatant censorship,” contended Jeremy Tedesco, senior counsel at ADF, in an exclusive remark to The Daily Signal. “It’s imperative that Disney faces a relentless stream of objections, ensuring accountability until we witness a tangible shift in conduct—one that endures.”
In a strategic union, ADF has partnered with Bowyer Research and Patron Partners, an entity that represents Disney shareholders, to advance a shareholder resolution that demands answers from the company.
Disney, a titan of entertainment, possesses vast advertising influence and should deploy its resources in a manner that not only bolsters its competitive edge but also retains its commitment to diverse audiences.
Yet, troubling disclosures suggest that Disney colluded with the industry’s most formidable ad buyers, agencies, and social media platforms through the GARM construct to disenfranchise platforms and personalities championing alternative political or religious viewpoints.
In a notable turn of events, with an investor meeting on the horizon, ADF has opted to withdraw its resolution. Tedesco emphasized the need to bring this pressing issue “directly to the board, to the powers that govern Disney, and question their membership with GARM.”
The GARM initiative, which once encompassed every major advertising firm of note, fostered a disturbing agenda by promoting hyper-partisan censorship. Reports surfaced of GARM pressuring Spotify when Joe Rogan dared to voice dissenting thoughts regarding the COVID-19 narrative, and the alliance even blackballed social media platform X during Elon Musk’s revamped approach to content moderation.
Under mounting public pressure and a subsequent lawsuit, GARM disbanded in 2024.
“To restore its tarnished reputation, Disney must embrace transparency surrounding its policies and practices,” the resolution urged. “This will assure stakeholders that it champions free speech and safeguards religious freedoms, rather than undermining them.”
Disney’s tumultuous journey through contemporary cultural debates is not a new chapter. Its upcoming series “Win or Lose” stirred significant parental consternation due to a controversial character arc involving transgender identity, prompting the company to excise the storyline in response to backlash.
Shareholders aligned with ADF, Bowyer Research, and Patron Partners are petitioning Disney’s Board of Directors to undertake a meticulous review and present a report within the forthcoming year, scrutinizing how it navigates potential discriminative practices against advertisers based on their religious or political stances.
Despite repeated inquiries, Disney has yet to issue a formal comment regarding these pressing issues.
ADF’s endeavors don’t conclude with Disney. The firm has initiated approximately ten similar shareholder resolutions against well-known corporations entrenched in GARM and has been active in filing over fifty resolutions aimed at myriad issues, extending to workplace concerns around diversity, equity, and inclusion, alongside issues surrounding de-platforming and other corporate practices.
“Our engagement with companies represents a clarion call to redirect their focus away from the quagmire of contemporary politics, encouraging them to contribute positively to a societal framework that upholds free expression and religious rights,” Tedesco elaborated, underscoring the urgency of their mission.
