Disney has recently announced that they will be editing a “The Simpsons” episode that has been accused of featuring an inappropriate scene related to forced labor in Hong Kong. The episode, “Mypods and Boomsticks”, originally aired in 2010 and included a scene in which a character, Homer Simpson, was shown wearing a sweatshirt with a logo which some people have interpreted as a reference to forced labor. Disney’s decision to edit the episode comes after the company received backlash from many Hong Kong viewers who labeled the scene as insensitive.
HONG KONG (AP) – Walt Disney Co. has removed an episode of The Simpsons animated series that contained a reference to “forced labor camps” in China from its Hong Kong streaming service.
The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment on why The Simpsons season 34 episode “One Angry Lisa” was not available for streaming on the Disney Plus streaming service in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory, according to reviews by The Associated Press.
The episode first aired on TV in October and it was not clear when the episode would be removed from the Hong Kong streaming service.
In the episode, Simpsons character Marge Simpson takes a virtual spin class, whose teacher stands in front of a virtual backdrop of the Great Wall of China and says, “Behold the wonders of China. Bitcoin mines, forced labor camps where kids make smartphones.”
The issue of forced labor is sensitive in China. Communist-ruled Beijing has increasingly imposed its control over Hong Kong, a former British colony, after taking control of the territory in 1997.
For years, western governments and activists have accused China of imprisoning hundreds of thousands of ethnic minorities — mostly Uyghurs — in detention camps in the western Xinjiang region. China has denied allegations that it uses forced labor in these camps.
China says the camps are educational centers designed to teach Mandarin Chinese and job skills.
China pledged that Hong Kong would retain its western-style freedoms for 50 years after the handover from British rule. But Beijing has tightened controls after imposing a national security law following massive pro-democracy protests in 2019, raising concerns about weakening civil liberties like freedom of expression and the press.
In 2021, Hong Kong introduced a film censorship law that would allow authorities to ban films that run counter to national security interests. At the time, officials said regulating films shown online would be outside the scope of the bill.
Censorship of Western television series or films is common in mainland China, with censors deleting scenes or banning content deemed to violate values deemed appropriate by the Chinese Communist Party.
The Simpsons were shown in China for a time. According to reviews by The AP, clips of The Simpsons can still be found on Chinese video sites, but not the scene from One Angry Lisa.
The Associated Press
Don’t miss interesting posts on Famousbio
