Gulf Arab nations have demanded that U.S. streaming giant Netflix removes content showing gay and lesbian characters as it 'contradicts Islamic values'.
Recent content, including material aimed at children,
violated regulations and was deemed 'offensive', the Saudi and Gulf Cooperation
Council media watchdogs said in a statement.
A special committee of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a
regional organisation that includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates,
Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman, made the request in a statement on Tuesday.
“[Netflix] was contacted to remove this content, including
content directed at children, and to ensure adherence to the laws,” the joint
statement from the GCC committee and the Saudi General Commission for
Audiovisual Media noted.
The move appears to be in response to Netflix airing content
that includes LGBTQ characters, as well as other material deemed “immoral”.
Saudi state television aired a report on Tuesday that
included an interview with a woman identified as a “behavioural consultant” who
described Netflix as being an “official sponsor of homosexuality”.
It also aired footage of an animated show that streams on
Netflix, Jurassic Park: Camp Cretaceous, which showed two female characters
kissing, though the footage was blurred out.
A separate segment on Saudi state television also suggested
that Netflix could be banned in the kingdom over programming deemed to
negatively influence children.
The California-based Netflix has yet to make a comment on
the statement from the GCC committee.
Previous bans
The Gulf statement comes after a number of Muslim-majority
countries banned the public showing of Disney’s animated film Lightyear in June
over a brief moment showing two women kissing.
In the aftermath, the company’s Disney+ streaming service
said its “content available should align with local regulatory requirements” in
Gulf Arab countries.
At least 14 countries had banned the movie over the scene.
Lightyear is part of the Toy Story movie franchise that has
made billions in revenue worldwide since the first instalment was released in
1995.
The Marvel movie Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of
Madness was also banned in April by Saudi Arabia and Egypt for LGBTQ
references.
Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays the title character, called
the controversy “mind-boggling” and said that he hoped “somehow fans of the
film in Saudi Arabia of every sexuality are able to see it at some point
somehow”.
In September, the Saudi government urged YouTube to delete
“inappropriate ads” that went against the laws and regulations of the country.
The move also comes as regional streaming services try to
eat into Netflix’s revenue, including the Shahid service, operated by the
Saudi-owned MBC Group.
The Saudi government holds a controlling stake in MBC Group
after a series of asset seizures during an anti-corruption investigation in
2018.
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