Discrepancy Between Representation and Data in Home Security Ads

In recent years, television advertisements for home security systems have shown a noticeable pattern: white males are often depicted as the intruders or “bad guys.” This trend stands in contrast to crime data published by institutions like the FBI, which indicate that Black individuals are statistically arrested more often for crimes such as burglary and robbery.

According to FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, black individuals are arrested at disproportionately higher rates for certain crimes, including property crime and violent offenses.

If the purpose of a home security ad is to highlight a realistic threat, then casting should reflect the statistical realities of crime demographics. Portraying white men as the default “bad guy” in ads is less about fighting stereotypes and more about substituting one group as a scapegoat to shield another from criticism.

This distortion could mislead viewers by presenting a skewed version of reality—especially when such portrayals are repeated over and over. In effect, the desire to avoid appearing racist results in unfair representation of another group.