📺 Breaking · June 2026

ABC QR Code Campaign: The View, the FCC and What to Know Before You Scan

Disney's ABC started airing ads with a QR code asking viewers to contact the FCC. Here's the whole story — and why you should always verify a TV QR code before scanning it.

📝 By the DoItQR team 📅 June 23, 2026 ⏱ 9 min read

1. What Is the ABC QR Code?

Starting on Monday, June 23, 2026, Disney's ABC network began airing on-air advertisements on its local stations across the United States. The ads contain a prominently displayed QR code that, when scanned, takes viewers directly to the Federal Communications Commission's public comment page — a government website where anyone can officially file remarks in an ongoing FCC proceeding.

The message is clear and unusually direct for a major broadcast network: ABC is asking its own audience to push back against what it describes as politically motivated regulatory pressure. The campaign represents one of the boldest public moves a television broadcaster has made in response to pressure from a federal regulator in recent memory.

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Quick summary ABC is running two separate ad campaigns — one defending The View (comment deadline: July 6, 2026) and one defending its local stations (comment deadline: July 29, 2026). Both campaigns use a QR code that links to the FCC's official Express Comment page, where viewers can file public remarks.

2. Why Is ABC Running This Campaign?

To understand why a major TV network is putting a government QR code on air, you need a bit of background on the standoff between Disney and the Trump-aligned FCC.

1
February 2026 — FCC investigation into The View

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr launched an investigation into The View after the show hosted Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico. The probe alleged a potential violation of the "equal time" rule, which requires broadcast stations to provide equal airtime to rival political candidates.

2
April 2026 — License renewal demand

In an unusual and widely criticized move, the FCC demanded that Disney's eight ABC-owned local stations — which normally have their licenses renewed automatically every eight years — seek early renewal. Legal experts called this "virtually unprecedented."

3
May 2026 — ABC files formal opposition

ABC called the FCC's actions "unprecedented, beyond the Commission's authority, and counterproductive." The company argued the probes could "threaten to upend decades of settled law and practice and chill critical protected speech."

4
June 23, 2026 — QR code ads go on air

Disney takes the fight public. The View ad, narrated using the voice of the late Barbara Walters, ends with: "Viewers, use your voice, scan this QR code. You have until July 6th." The local station ads tell viewers "You have until July 29th to tell the FCC to keep your trusted local station on the air."

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What the FCC says The FCC called ABC's campaign "a campaign of misinformation," stating that Disney was misrepresenting the law to viewers. The agency also clarified that The View does not automatically qualify as a "bona fide news" program under a rule change made earlier in 2026.

3. Where Does the QR Code Actually Go?

This is the question everyone scanning the code from their TV should ask first — and the answer, in this case, is reassuring.

  • The QR code links to the FCC's official Express Comment page at fcc.gov — a U.S. government domain
  • The page is part of the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), which has existed for decades
  • Comments filed there become part of the official public record of the FCC proceeding
  • The page does not collect payment, personal financial data, or install any software
  • The deadline for The View proceeding is July 6, 2026
  • The deadline for the license renewal proceeding is July 29, 2026
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In this case, the QR code is legitimate The destination (fcc.gov) is a verified U.S. government domain. There's no redirect chain, no shortened link, no third-party collection. This is about as safe a QR code destination as you'll encounter. That said, the broader lesson about QR codes on TV still applies — see section 7.

4. How to Use the ABC QR Code

If you see the ABC ad on TV and want to file a comment, here's exactly how to do it.

  1. When the ad appears on your TV, open your phone's Camera app (or QR scanner) and point it at the QR code on screen.
  2. A notification or banner will appear showing the destination URL. Confirm it starts with https://www.fcc.gov before tapping.
  3. You'll land on the FCC's Express Comment page for the relevant proceeding. There are two separate proceedings — one for The View and one for the license renewals.
  4. Fill in the comment form. You can write as little or as much as you like — even a single sentence counts as a formal public comment.
  5. Submit before the deadline: July 6 for The View proceeding, July 29 for the license renewal proceeding.
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Public record notice Comments filed through the FCC's Express Comment system are publicly available on the web. Your name and any personal details you include in the comment body will be visible to anyone who searches the ECFS database. Use your real name if you're comfortable, but be mindful of what you include in the comment text itself.

5. The Rise of QR Codes on TV — and the Risks

The ABC campaign is one of the highest-profile examples of a TV broadcaster using a QR code as a direct call to action, but it's far from the first. QR codes have been appearing on television screens more and more since Coinbase's famous Super Bowl ad in 2022 — and with that growth come real security considerations.

ContextHow commonRisk levelWhat to check
National broadcaster ad (like ABC)Increasing🟢 Low — but verifyConfirm URL is the brand's official domain
Local TV commercial (restaurant, shop)Very common🟡 MediumDoes the URL match the business name?
News broadcast "scan for more"Common🟢 Usually lowCheck it goes to the news outlet's own domain
Shopping channel / infomercial QRCommon🟡 MediumLook for redirects or unfamiliar short links
Unknown/unbranded QR on screenLess common🔴 HighAlways run through a diagnostic before opening
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TV QR code fraud is real Attackers have placed fake QR codes over legitimate on-screen codes in live streams and screen captures. They've also broadcast counterfeit ads containing malicious QR codes during local commercial breaks. The ABC campaign is legitimate — but next time you see a QR code on TV, the source may not be Disney.

6. How to Scan Any TV QR Code Safely

A TV QR code is just like any other — whatever is encoded inside it could be a legitimate government page, a branded offer, or a phishing link. The steps below take ten seconds and will protect you every time.

  1. Pause before you scan. Look at the source: is this a recognized broadcaster, a national brand, or something unclear? Unnamed or unexpected QR codes on screen deserve extra scrutiny.
  2. Read the URL preview before tapping. Both Android and iOS show you the destination URL when a QR code is detected — don't tap "Open" until you've read it.
  3. Check the domain carefully. "fcc-comments.support" is not the same as "fcc.gov." Fake domains are designed to look legitimate at a quick glance.
  4. Use DoItQR's Diagnostic. If the URL involves any payment, login, or download, paste it into DoItQR's free Diagnostic tool for an instant security check before committing.
  5. When in doubt, type it manually. If the ad shows a recognizable web address alongside the QR code, you can always type it directly into your browser instead of scanning.

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7. The Bigger Picture: QR Codes as Civic Tools

What makes the ABC campaign remarkable isn't just the political context — it's what it signals about where QR codes are heading. For most of their history, QR codes have been used for marketing, payments, and logistics. The ABC campaign uses a QR code as a civic engagement mechanism: a bridge between a passive TV audience and a formal government process.

  • QR codes in civic contexts (voter registration, public hearings, petitions) are a growing trend globally, used by governments from France to Brazil to the Philippines
  • They lower the friction barrier dramatically — filing an FCC comment through a desktop browser takes far longer than scanning and typing a short message
  • This creates a new attack surface: fake civic QR codes that impersonate government pages to harvest personal data or spread misinformation
  • The lesson: the more mainstream QR codes become as civic tools, the more important it is to verify the destination before acting
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What this means for you As QR codes appear in elections, public hearings, and government campaigns, the habit of checking a QR destination before tapping isn't just about security — it's about making sure you're engaging with the real organization, not an impersonator.

8. DoItQR: Your QR Security Toolkit

Whether the QR code is on your TV, in an email, on a restaurant table, or on a government flyer — DoItQR gives you the tools to scan confidently and safely.

  • Diagnostic tool — Paste any URL revealed by a QR code and get an instant analysis of domain reputation, redirect chains, and known threat signals
  • Online scanner — Upload a photo or screenshot of a QR code and see the full destination URL before committing to opening it
  • QR generator — Create your own QR codes for URLs, Wi-Fi, contact cards, and more, with custom design and SVG/PNG export

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9. Conclusion

The ABC QR code is one of the most prominent examples of a major broadcaster using a QR code as a direct civic action tool, in one of the most high-profile media-government standoffs of the year. The code itself leads to a legitimate U.S. government page, and filing a comment is straightforward and safe.

But the campaign is also a reminder that QR codes on TV are becoming a permanent part of the media landscape — which means the habit of verifying where a QR code points, before you tap "Open," has never been more important. Always check the URL. Always take two seconds with DoItQR's Diagnostic if anything feels off.

📚 Sources

  1. CNN Business — ABC enlists viewers in free-speech fight with Trump's FCC — cnn.com
  2. The Daily Beast — ABC Airs Ad Defending 'The View' in FCC Investigation — thedailybeast.com
  3. MS NOW — ABC launches ads asking viewers for support amid FCC probes — ms.now
  4. Yahoo News — ABC Drops Ad Campaign Asking Viewers to Support Its Fight Against FCC Over The View — yahoo.com
  5. ABC.com — Tell the FCC to Let the Viewers Decide Who Goes on "The View" — abc.com
  6. FCC ECFS — Electronic Comment Filing System — fcc.gov
  7. DoItQR — QR Code Diagnostic Tool — doitqr.com/diagnostic