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Censorship

Censorship
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Censorship. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
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
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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Social media

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

Australia

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

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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’.

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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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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.

(From left) We Are Gay director Birdy Wong, playwright Candice Chong and actor Anthony Wong speak about the production of the play, a rerun of which was scheduled for November but was cancelled on October 18. Photo: Edmond So
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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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.

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during a state visit to East Timor on September 23. Photo: AFP
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.

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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Fan Chunli, a 50-year-old woman from a small rural village, has struck a chord in China with stand-up comedy about her divorce. Photo: iQIYI
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.

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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Tourists outside the White House. The administration of US President Donald Trump – himself a prolific and often confrontational social media user – has also sharply criticised allies Germany and Britain for restricting what the governments term hate speech. Photo: EPA-EFE
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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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.

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