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Censorship

Censorship
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Censorship. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Lau Ching-wan in a still from Sons of the Neon Night. The film is leading in nominations for the 44th Hong Kong Film Awards, with 12 nods.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Sons of the Neon Night leads 2026 Hong Kong Film Awards nominations

Amid controversy over four titles removed from the ballot, Sons of the Neon Night and Back to the Past dominate the award nominations.

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong travel agency backs out of Taiwan trip over controversial film screening

India

Journalists in Indian Kashmir face censorship as police demand ‘peace’ pledges

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Why did the Hong Kong Film Awards drop 4 eligible films from its 2026 list?

The four films missing from the provisional list feature actors or themes unpopular with authorities in Hong Kong and mainland China, say industry insiders.

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Anthony Wong in a still from Valley of the Shadow of Death. The film is one of four - also including Vital Signs, Finch & Midland and Mother Bhumi - that do not appear on the list of films to be considered for the 2026 Hong Kong Film Awards, despite their eligibility. Photo: Golden Scene
Social media

US hits 5 Europeans with visa bans in ‘censorship’ row

Former EU commissioner is among those barred as the US targets individuals it says are involved in censoring US social media platforms.

Australia

Why Southeast Asia’s move to protect children online may fuel state surveillance

Measures to rein in tech companies risk opening the door to tighter state oversight of online platforms, analysts say.

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TikTok

Are China’s social media apps the soft power play to win over the West?

After the US migration to RedNote, experts say transforming engagement into influence will require a ‘light touch’ from Beijing.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
Taiwan

Taiwan RedNote ban backfires, driving mainland Chinese app’s top download rise

Many users and opposition politicians accuse Taiwan’s ruling party of overreach and damaging island’s reputation for open internet access.

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Indonesia

Jakarta vs the internet: Indonesia’s gamble with digital freedom

As the government demands global tech firms like Cloudflare bend to its will, critics say it’s ‘burning the rice barn to kill the rats’.

China property

Shanghai launches clampdown on property market doom-mongering

City’s internet regulators shut down 70,000 accounts in a ‘special campaign’ against pessimistic content as real estate jitters continue.

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Shanghai has launched a “special campaign” against online content that talks down the property market. Photo: Shutterstock
Malaysia

Malaysia pulls US children’s show off the air over LGBTQ kiss

State broadcaster RTM pulled ‘Santiago of the Seas’ after viewers claimed two animated mermaids had shared a same-sex kiss on the cheek.

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Santiago of the Seas main characters (from left) Lorelai, Santiago and Tomas. Photo: YouTube/nickjr
Communist Party politics

How the fight over a Chinese bookstore heightened concerns over cultural squeeze

The fate of a popular venue in the southwestern city of Chengdu has highlighted the increasing pressure on public activities.

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Performing arts in Hong Kong

Controversial Hong Kong writer on her cancelled play starring Anthony Wong

Hong Kong playwright Candace Chong reflects on the off-on-off decision to cancel her play We Are Gay starring Antony Wong.

Censorship in China

Ex-state media editor warns against ‘collective silence’ on Chinese social media

Ex-Global Times chief Hu Xijin says there should be greater scope for ‘citizens to exchange information’ on social media.

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Hu Xijin is a regular poster on Chinese and Western social media platoforms. Photo: Weibo
Women and gender

‘AI censorship’ of Together raises new fears for future of Chinese LGBTQ films

A public outcry over a scene where a gay couple were turned into a heterosexual one has triggered a wider debate about the use of technology.

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Together’s international distributor said it had not authorised the changes. Photo: Handout
Censorship in China

China’s ‘Clean Net’ campaign targets ‘negative emotions’ in annual online purge

Internet watchdog’s crackdown broadens battle against pessimism, punishes influencers and platforms ‘selling anxiety’ on web.

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Malaysia

Outcry in Malaysia over independent news outlet’s social media suspension

The move came hours after the news portal published a report on a network of suspicious social media accounts boosting the PM’s page.

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Indonesia

Arrests of Indonesian protesters spur fears of censorship, more political chaos

A total of 43 suspects, including activists and social media users, were arrested for their ‘anarchic acts’ during last month’s protests.

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A protester throws back a tear gas canister during a clash with the police in Bandung last month over the death of a delivery rider who was run over by a police car. Photo: dpa
Nepal

Nepal’s prime minister resigns over deadly anti-corruption protests

K.P. Sharma Oli has resigned after 19 people were killed in violent protests triggered by a social media ban.

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Nepal

Nepal’s Gen Z revolt turns deadly as police fire on protesters, killing 19

The government’s lethal crackdown on young protesters has deepened a crisis sparked by a social media ban and long-standing corruption.

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Nepal

Police in Nepal open fire on pro-social media protest, killing 17

The Gen Z-led protest was held to condemn a government attempt to regulate social media that blocked Facebook, X and YouTube, among others.

Riot police fire tear gas during a protest outside parliament in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Monday. Photo: AFP
Malaysia

Malaysia summons TikTok, Meta over slow response to fake news, immoral content

Malaysia has stepped up scrutiny of social media companies, after reporting a sharp rise in harmful online content on their platforms.

The TikTok logo is seen outside the company’s Los Angeles offices. Photo: AFP
Singapore

US comedian alleges censorship after Singapore show cancelled

Sammy Obeid says his script was rejected despite multiple edits, but IMDA clarifies he sent the permit request only 10 days before the event.

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Women and gender

Chinese officials accuse online stand-up shows of stirring ‘gender antagonism’

Zhejiang officials hope ‘rising stand-up comedy scene can become more rational and profound, with less division and more understanding’.

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Cybersecurity

China rolls out ‘voluntary’ cyber ID amid concerns over privacy, censorship

The new virtual ID scheme has been in the beta stage since a draft regulation was launched in July last year.

Young people play computer games at an internet cafe in Beijing on September 10, 2021. Photo: AFP
ByteDance

ByteDance’s China head of content quality leaves amid stricter censorship

Li Tong, who led Douyin’s content quality team, is no longer listed in ByteDance’s internal employee system, according to sources.

The building of Douyin Group in Chengdu, Sichuan province, seen on March 11, 2024. Photo: Shutterstock
Malaysia

Malaysians resist censorship as book bans increase, include rom-com novels

Book lovers lament being at the mercy of ‘faceless officers’ who decide what the public can read, as the number of banned titles grows.

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United States

US to scrutinise visas for officials, targeting those ‘responsible for censorship’

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US will refuse visas to foreign officials who block Americans’ social media posts.

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