Disney removes 'Simpsons' episode due to 'forced labour camps in China' reference

Disney has removed an episode of the 'The Simpsons' cartoon that mentions "forced labour camps" in China from its streaming service in Hong Kong. The episode, which was originally broadcasted in October last year, was not available on Disney Plus in Hong Kong, according to the Financial Times. This is reportedly the second time that an episode from the show, produced by Disney-owned 20th Television Animation, has been removed from the streaming service.

Back in 2021, an episode from 'The Simpsons' which referenced the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre was removed from the streaming platform. China imposed a stringent national security law in 2020 in Hong Kong, which prohibits crimes such as secession and subversion as part of a suppression of political opposition and civil society. The latest episode of 'The Simpsons', called 'One Angry Lisa', includes a scene where Marge takes a virtual cycling class and the instructor mentions the wonders of China, including Bitcoin mines and "forced labour camps where children make smartphones". There have been allegations of forced labour against Uyghur people and other Muslim minorities in mass detention centres in Xinjiang, leading to a UN report last year accusing China of "serious human rights violations" that could amount to "crimes against humanity". However, Beijing denies these accusations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang.

Disney afraid of backlash in mainland China?

Kenny Ng, associate professor at the Academy of Film at Hong Kong Baptist University, told the Financial Times that Disney removed the episode from its streaming platform out of fear that it may face backlash in mainland China. Disney has buisness intrests in mainland China, which include its theme parks. When asked for a response, the Hong Kong government reportedly  stated that the film censorship system implemented in 2021, which prohibits films from threatening "national security", does not cover streaming services. A representative declined to comment on whether the government had contacted Disney to have the episode removed. Disney also did not respond to the request for comment, as per the FT report. Last year, the movie 'Top Gun Maverick' faced similar controversy becuase a scene featured the lead actor wearing a jacket with Taiwan's flag on it. However, unlike Disney, the producers of 'Top Gun' decided that they won't remove the scene.