Disney+ HK reportedly removes The Simpsons episode related to 'forced labour camps' in China

Disney+ Hong Kong has reportedly removed an episode of The Simpsons cartoon that was said to make reference to “forced labour camps” in China.

According to the Financial Times, the episode was taken down on Disney+ in Hong Kong recently, after having aired in October last year during the cartoon series’ latest season.

Also known as “One Angry Lisa,” the episode features images of the Great Wall of China with the caption: “Behold the wonders of China. Bitcoin mines, forced labour camps where children make smartphones.”

China has faced accusations of forced labour, such as abusing Uyghur people and other Muslim minorities at mass detention centres in the north-western Xinjiang region. A UN report last year said Beijing might have violated “serious human rights” regulations.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Disney+ for a statement. 

Don't miss: Disney+ reportedly removes The Simpsons Tiananmen Square episode

This isn’t the first time an episode from The Simpsons has been pulled from the streaming platform. Back in 2021, Disney+ Hong Kong removed an episode of The Simpsons which depicts the family visiting Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Multiple reports including The Guardian said episode 12 of season 16, which debuted in 2005, featured the cartoon family going to China to try and adopt a baby.

During the same journey, they also visit Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. In the episode, there is a sign in the square that reads “On this site, in 1989, nothing happened”. However, in reality, there are two signs. The left one reads "long live the People's Republic of China", while the right one reads "long live the great unity of the world's peoples." It remains unclear if Disney+ decided to self censor the episode or if it was an order from the Chinese government. 

In early November, the film censorship (amendment) ordinance 2021 and the updated film censorship guidelines for censors came into effect. Censors are required to consider a number of factors before approving a film, including the exhibition of the film would be contrary to the interests of national security. Meanwhile, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam also said last week that she would "proactively plug loopholes” in Hong Kong's internet regulation, ensuring that "fake news" circulating online would not harm society. Lam also said the government needs to supervise and manage the media. 

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