\n<\/p>\n
Hulu is walking back on its original rejection of a church\u2019s advertisement, now saying that it may promote an ad on the streaming service.<\/p>\n
Hulu initially rejected the advertisement from Fort Worth\u2019s Hulun Street Church, claiming it violated \u201creligious indoctrination\u201d policies.<\/p>\n
After First Liberty Institute demanded clarification of the policy on behalf of the church, Hulu accepted the ads.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough Hulu posts advertising policies online, its policies do not mention the words \u2018Religious Indoctrination,\u2019 nor do they prohibit it. Despite being accepted as an approved advertiser on the platform, Hulen Street Church first learned Hulu even had such a policy when Hulu invoked it to reject the Church\u2019s Thursday night service ad,\u201d First Liberty wrote in a letter<\/a>. \u201cIt is reasonable to assume, given Hulu\u2019s opacity, that Hulu may have made the \u2018rule\u2019 up to address the Church\u2019s ad. Or, perhaps, it simply failed to properly train and\/or supervise an employee charged with reviewing such advertisements. Regardless, Hulu should not be able to exclude religious ads without giving prospective advertisers adequate information up front about what policies exist and may apply.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe are grateful to Hulu for its quick response to our demand letter and for accepting Hulen Street Church\u2019s ad,\u201d First Liberty senior counsel Jeremy Dys said in a statement<\/a>. \u201cIn the future, Hulu\u2014and others in Big Tech\u2014could avoid these kinds of conflicts by adopting advertising policies that do not discriminate against religious organizations, being transparent about its advertising policy, and applying it fairly.\u201d<\/p>\n The ad featured on the platform is below:<\/p>\n