Court Opinion

ID: 9461815
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 22:25:26.04208+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:37:16.821744
License: Public Domain

FAIRCHILD, Chief Judge
(concurring).
The material involved consists of statements of position with respect to a controversial issue. It is deemed advertising because its dissemination is caused by those whose profit interests are served by the view espoused.
We are in an area of difficulty in considering whether and to what extent the First Amendment protects such material. It is clear that “purely commercial advertising” is treated differently from other communication of information and opinion in terms of applicability of the First Amendment. Valentine v. Chrestensen, 316 U.S. 52, 62 S.Ct. 920, 86 L.Ed. 1262 (1942). Compare, Pittsburgh Press Co. v. Human Rel. Comm'n., 413 U.S. 376, 384, 93 S.Ct. 2553, 37 L.Ed.2d 669 (1973) with New York Times v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254, 266, 84 S.Ct. 710, 11 L.Ed.2d 686 (1964). See also, Breard v. Alexandria, 341 U.S. 622, 71 S.Ct. 920, 95 L.Ed. 1233 (1951). I question whether the cases mean that the First Amendment is wholly irrelevant if government selectively seeks to prohibit commercial advertising because it espoused one side of a genuine controversy.
Mr. Justice Brennan has recently observed:
“ . . . while it is possible that commercial advertising may be accorded less First Amendment protection than speech concerning political and social issues of public importance, compare Valentine v. Chrestensen, 316 U.S. 52, 62 S.Ct. 920, 86 L.Ed. 1262 (1942), with Schneider v. State, 308 U.S. 147, 60 S.Ct. 146, 84 L.Ed. 155 (1939), and Breard v. City of Alexandria, 341 U.S. 622, 71 S.Ct. 920, 95 L.Ed. 1233 (1951), with Martin v. City of Struthers, 319 U.S. 141, 63 S.Ct. 862, 87 L.Ed. 1313 (1943), it is ‘speech’ nonetheless, often communicating information and ideas found by many persons to be controversial.” Lehman v. City of Shaker Heights, 418 U.S. 298, 314, 94 S.Ct. 2714, 2723, 41 L.Ed.2d 770 (Brennan, J., dissenting) (Emphasis in original, footnote omitted).
Like political speech, the purveyor of a commercial advertisement has an interest in expression, and the mere fact that government seeks to regulate advertising bespeaks the interest the recipients have in receiving the message. See Note, Freedom of Expression in a Commercial Context, 78 Harv.L.Rev. 1191 (1965). Most importantly, society, as a whole, has a substantial interest in the free interplay of opinion when an advertisement addresses a matter of current public debate.
When we are dealing with a genuine controversy, I do not think that mere reason to believe that a statement is false or misleading is a sufficient basis for an injunction. I conclude that the First Amendment at least requires a higher standard. I can, however, concur in ordering a limited injunction in this *491case because I consider that it has been demonstrated that the particular statements enjoined are misleading.
APPENDIX
Injunction Order
Petitioner, the Federal Trade Commission, having invoked the authority of this court pursuant to 15 U.S.C. § 53(a) for the purpose of temporarily enjoining the respondent from disseminating advertisements which the Commission has reason to believe violate section 12 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. § 52; the court hereby finds as follows:
The court has jurisdiction over the subject matter and the respondent.
Eggs are a “food” as defined by 15 U.S.C. § 55(b).
The Federal Trade Commission has made a proper showing that it has reason to believe that the respondent’s advertisements for eggs which have been disseminated in commerce or through the United States mails were false in violation of 15 U.S.C. § 52.
The Federal Trade Commission has made a proper showing that the issuance of a temporary injunction against respondent’s continued dissemination of advertisements which the Commission had reason to believe were false, pending completion of its administrative proceeding with respect to respondent, would be in the public interest.
It is therefore ordered that respondent, National Commission on Egg Nutrition, is forthwith enjoined from disseminating or causing the dissemination of any advertisement by means of the United States mails or by any means in commerce, as “commerce” is defined in the Federal Trade Commission Act, which directly or indirectly:
1, Represents that there is no scientific evidence that consuming eggs, even in large quantities, increases the risk of heart attacks, heart or artery disease, or any attendant condition;
2. Represents the insignificance, of the available scientific evidence that the consumption of eggs may increase the risk of heart attacks, heart or artery disease, or any attendant condition, or represents that there is overwhelming scientific evidence or otherwise misrepresents the amount of scientific evidence, if any, that eating eggs does not increase the risk of heart attacks, heart or artery disease, or any attendant condition;
3. Represents that there exists, or describes, scientific evidence which supports the theory that eating eggs does not increase or in any way decreases the risk of heart attacks, heart or artery disease, or attendant conditions, unless such representation is accompanied by a statement that this theory and its supporting evidence are the subject of considerable scientific controversy, and there is much evidence to the contrary.
It is further ordered that respondent shall:
Distribute or mail a copy of this order, within 30 days from the date of this order, to each of its members and to all persons, corporations, associations or other entities to which it has provided advertising materials for publication or republication and which contain any of the claims which respondent is enjoined by this order from making;
Furnish petitioner, within 30 days from the date of this order, with a list of all members, persons, corporations or other entities to whom it has furnished copies of this order as required above; and
Notify the Commission at least 30 days prior to any proposed change in NCEN, such as dissolution, emergence of a successor corporation, or any other change in the corporation which may affect compliance with obligations arising out of this order.
This order shall continue in effect until the pending complaint against respondent by petitioner Federal Trade Commission (F.T.C. Docket No. 8987) is either dismissed by petitioner or until a
*492final order issued by petitioner against respondent in that matter becomes final as defined by section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. § 45, unless sooner vacated or modified by this court.