Supreme Court backs subtitles, audio descriptions for disabled audiences

The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled in favor of disabled audiences, affirming that movie theaters must provide audio descriptions and subtitles to accommodate those with visual and hearing impairments. This decision overturned a previous ruling that had placed strict limits on the number of screenings and theaters required to offer these accessibility services.

The lawsuit, filed in February 2016, involved two visually impaired and two hearing-impaired individuals who demanded that theaters offer subtitles and audio descriptions for all movies shown. In November 2021, the Seoul High Court had determined that theaters with 300 or more seats must provide these services at a rate of 3 percent of their total screenings, citing the significant financial burden on theater operators.

However, the Supreme Court deemed this decision to have unduly emphasized the financial impact on theater operators. The higher court concluded that the defendants' failure to provide the necessary accommodations constituted disability discrimination.