Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Hong Kong: Disney+ Removes a Simpsons Episode Over Tiananmen Square Reference

 Legal Insurrection

Disney once again falls in line with China proving once again the Communist country has immense influence in Hollywood and Hong Kong.

"How do I irony? Disney is *litrally* doing what The Simpsons mocked China for doing about Tiananmen Square.

"It also shows just how much influence China has on Hong Kong. The city has passed many bills limiting free speech, especially when it comes to insulting China. Oh, wait. I mean, “banning films deemed contrary to China’s national security interests.”

"Do the laws apply to streaming services? It’s all too vague, with some people thinking the legislature will eventually pass laws targeting streaming services while the city said it already has laws for those companies:

The content rules governing streaming services in Hong Kong remain somewhat unclear, although analysts believe it’s only a matter of time before they are hit with the same restrictions that are undercutting the city’s once vibrant film sector and international journalist community. When asked in August whether the new film law would apply to online platforms, a spokesperson for the city’s Commerce and Economic Development Bureau told the Hong Kong Free Press that “other” laws apply to the internet: “[TV] broadcast and the Internet are subject to other applicable law and regulations. Whether an act constitutes a crime or otherwise would depend on its specific circumstances and evidence, and cannot be taken in isolation or generalized,” they spokesperson said.

"In other words, Disney did this on its own. The Hollywood Reporter noted that Netflix still airs pieces that would never air in China:. . ."

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