Walt Disney Co. recently removed an episode of “The Simpsons” that refers to forced labor camps in China from its streaming platform in Hong Kong, the Financial Times reported.
(Bloomberg) — Walt Disney Co. recently removed an episode of “The Simpsons” that refers to forced labor camps in China from its streaming platform in Hong Kong, the Financial Times reported.
The episode in question is from the cartoon’s latest series, produced by Disney’s 20th Television Animation arm, the paper reported. The move would mark the second time the Disney+ streaming platform pulled an episode in the Asian financial center because of sensitivities around China.
Read more: Disney+ Omits ‘The Simpsons’ Tiananmen Episode in Hong Kong
Disney and the Hong Kong government didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Western companies are increasingly modifying content that could cause offense or impact their business in key markets like China. The self-censoring expanded to Hong Kong in the wake of the sweeping national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020.
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The American entertainment giant omitted an episode of “The Simpsons” in Hong Kong in 2021 that mentioned the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.
The Asian financial hub has a film censorship law that bans content contrary to the interests laid out in the national security law. Such violations can land offenders in prison for up to three years and lead to a fine of HK$1 million ($127,450).
China imposed the security law on Hong Kong in June 2020 in the wake of mass anti-government protests that took place the previous year. Since then, it has been used to crack down on dissent and target freedom of expression.
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