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Censorship

Censorship
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Censorship. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Young men play online games and surf the internet at a cyber cafe in Jakarta last month. Photo: AFP
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

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Malaysia

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

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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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The You Xing Bookstore in Chengdu was at risk of closure. Photo: Handout
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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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.

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’s Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli. Photo: AFP
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.

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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US comedian Sammy Obeid’s material often criticises Israel’s actions in Gaza. Photo: NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
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.

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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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Japan

Japan’s low press freedom ranking signals self-censorship remains rife: analysts

Political pressure affects media coverage in Japan as journalists fear angering the government over their reporting, analysts say.

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Japan ranked 66th out of 180 countries and regions for press freedom in the annual Reporters Without Borders survey. Photo: AFP
United States

Opinion | Trump seems to be taking a leaf out of Chairman Mao’s book

Trump is purging officials, persecuting intellectuals and burnishing his cult of personality. If reason prevails, Americans will reject this.

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Demonstrators dressed as handmaidens from ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ take part in a ‘Hands Off!’ protest against US President Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk at the Washington Monument on April 5. Photo: Reuters
Art

Chinese dissident artist’s video screened on Hong Kong billboards

4-second clip by artist known as Badiucao, submitted to Italian gallery under a false name, part of a video art reel shown in busy district.

Pacific nations

Pacific nation’s Facebook blackout tied to content ‘control’ experiment

Meta’s Facebook and Messenger remained inaccessible to users in Papua New Guinea on Tuesday, over 24 hours after mysteriously going offline.

United States

Opinion | From Musk to Bannon, Trump’s rabble of backers are heading for a brawl

The competing agendas of Trump’s elite supporters are clashing, with the sharpest conflict between the economic nationalists and techno-right.

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Elon Musk listens to US President Donald Trump speak in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on February 11. Photo: Reuters
Indonesia

Censorship in Indonesia? Outcry over punk band’s apology for anti-police song

Activists say there may now be a ‘chilling effect’ of artists censoring themselves to avoid persecution from authorities.

Sukatani, an Indonesian punk rock band hailing from Purbalingga in Central Java. Photo: Sukatani
Books and literature

Rewriting history? The delicate balance of sensitivity and censorship in books

Sensitivity readers can be a valuable resource for authors navigating complex issues of race, culture and sexuality, but at what cost? Writers appearing at the Hong Kong International Literary Festival explore this question.

Malaysia

Asian Angle | Why Malaysia’s new social media licences are disconcerting

Industry players and users worry about the new social media licensing framework’s potential impact on freedom of expression and fairness.

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