Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

AMC Entertainment kills idea to allow texting in theaters

Your phone can stay in your pocket.

Noam Galai / Getty

A couple days ago, AMC Entertainment chief executive Adam Aron told Variety that “You can’t tell a 22-year-old to turn off their cellphone,” so he was open to the idea of allowing phone usage in movie theaters in some form.

For offending the sensibilities of many people who enjoy movies without others on their phones, Aron swiftly got his ass kicked on Twitter. And now AMC is backing away from the idea altogether.

In a statement posted on Twitter, Aron apologized:

“Unlike the many AMC advancements that you have applauded, we have heard loud and clear this is a concept that our audience does not want,” Aron wrote. “In this age of social media, we get feedback from you almost instantaneously and as such, we are constantly listening. Accordingly, just as instantaneously, this is an idea that we have relegated to the cutting room floor.”

Perhaps Aron made the right call! I mean, you wouldn’t want anyone to ruin climactic moments in critically-acclaimed box-office hits like “Batman vs. Superman” or “The Boss.” Or maybe, as one of our colleagues at the Verge suggests, this was Aron’s plan all along:

https://twitter.com/thedextriarchy/status/721014428959944708

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

More in Technology

Podcasts
Are humanoid robots all hype?Are humanoid robots all hype?
Podcast
Podcasts

AI is making them better — but they’re not going to be doing your chores anytime soon.

By Avishay Artsy and Sean Rameswaram
Future Perfect
The old tech that could help stop the next airborne pandemicThe old tech that could help stop the next airborne pandemic
Future Perfect

Glycol vapors, explained.

By Shayna Korol
Future Perfect
Elon Musk could lose his case against OpenAI — and still get what he wantsElon Musk could lose his case against OpenAI — and still get what he wants
Future Perfect

It’s not about who wins. It’s about the dirty laundry you air along the way.

By Sara Herschander
Life
Why banning kids from AI isn’t the answerWhy banning kids from AI isn’t the answer
Life

What kids really need in the age of artificial intelligence.

By Anna North
Culture
Anthropic owes authors $1.5B for pirating work — but the claims process is a Kafkaesque messAnthropic owes authors $1.5B for pirating work — but the claims process is a Kafkaesque mess
Culture

“Your AI monster ate all our work. Now you’re trying to pay us off with this piece of garbage that doesn’t work.”

By Constance Grady
Future Perfect
Some deaf children are hearing again because of a new gene therapySome deaf children are hearing again because of a new gene therapy
Future Perfect

A medical field that almost died is quietly fixing one disease at a time.

By Bryan Walsh