In its first Environmental Social Governance report published on Friday, September 4, Netflix has revealed that it has removed nine shows from its library due to government demands since they have launched.
Government Demand Takedowns
According to The Hollywood Reporter, five of the demands came from Singapore Infocomm Media Development Authority, including the titles The Last Temptation of Christ, The Last Hangover, the TV series Disjointed, and Cooking on High, as well as the documentary The Legend of 420.
The streaming service has also removed Full Metal Jacket back in 2017 in Vietnam as per the demand of the Vietnamese Authority of Broadcasting and Electronic Information.
Also in 2017, Netflix has removed Night of the Living Dead in Germany after receiving a request from the German Commission for Youth Protection.
Based on the report, the latest Netflix removal was for Saudi Arabia, where they removed an episode of the series Patriot Act With Hasan Minhaj in 2019 when the streaming service received a written demand from the Saudi Communication and Information Technology Commission.
Meanwhile, the first one they have removed was the film The Bridge back in 2015.
The movie was removed from Netflix's local server in New Zealand after the New Zealand Film and Video Labeling Body demanded it.
Downside of Expansion
In its report, the company said that they would be announcing all government takedown demands annually moving forward--but the reveal didn't really sit well with some followers, especially in the US, as some believe the move was "detrimental to free speech."
"We're not in the 'truth to power' business, we're in the entertainment business ... We can accomplish a lot more by being entertainment and influencing a global conversation about how people live than trying to be another news channel," Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said when he was asked about the move last year.
Netflix is still continuing its expansion outside of the United States and is now the world's biggest streaming service.
However, the company will likely continue to clash with various governments. That may be somewhat the case in the Philippines, wherein a government agency is also eyeing the streaming service.
Philippine Agency Receives Backlash Over Netflix Regulation Plan
In a report by local news outlet The Philippine Star, the Movie Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) is planning to regulate Netflix, as well as other video streaming services that are currently operating in the country.
MTRCB chair Rachel Arenas explained that they have to regulate these platforms' content to "conform with the classifications" of the board and the "different culture" of the Philippines.
She further said that they have been consulting with the providers for more than a year for the process.
Nevertheless, the agency has received massive backlash from Filipinos, with many stating that now is not the time for the government agency to be pushing their regulations, especially as the country is still suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic with rising cases since lockdown started earlier this year.
Despite the backlash, MTRCB still wants to push with its plant to regulate video streaming platforms operating in the Philippines.
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Written by: Nhx Tingson
