Gulf countries ask Netflix to remove content considered offensive

Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbors have called on Netflix to remove content deemed “contrary to Islamic and social values,” threatening the video-on-demand subscription platform with legal action, according to a statement published Tuesday. The streaming giant did not react immediately.

The joint statement by the Saudi Arabian telecommunications police and the other five members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) does not specify the nature of the content deemed offensive.

“The platform has been contacted to remove this content, especially those intended for children,” the statement said. The authorities will ensure “that the platform respects the directives and, if illegal content continues to be spread, they will take the necessary legal measures,” he warns.

Content with specific LGBT characters

The Saudi media was more explicit about the content deemed offensive in the GCC countries’ statement, citing movies with LGBTQ characters. The state channel Al-Ekhbariya denounced “films and series for children that contain scenes that promote homosexuality through Netflix”. In a live interview, a lawyer lamented “very inappropriate and painful scenes for our children, our grandchildren and the future generation.”

In a separate section, the Al-Ekhbariya channel showed scenes from the animated film. Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous in which two female characters, whose faces have been blurred, kiss.

recurring theme

Under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has opened up to entertainment and major world events, but political and social restrictions remain very strong. In 2017, the authorities lifted the ban on the cinema.

In April, Saudi Arabia asked Disney to remove “LGBTQ references” from the Marvel film. Doctor strange in the multiverse of madness, in order to authorize its projection in the halls of the ultra-conservative kingdom. Disney did not comply and the film was not shown in Arabia.

The issues of gender and sexual freedom remain taboo in many Arab countries, especially in the Gulf monarchies. In June, the United Arab Emirates banned the Pixar Studios animated film, buzz the lightningwhich contains a fleeting kiss scene between two women who live together.