It’s not all fun and games over at The House of Mouse! A recent episode of The Simpsons was reportedly removed from Disney+ in Hong Kong for referencing “forced labor camps” in China.
The episode “One Angry Lisa” was released in October 2022 and is the second episode of the current 34th season of the show. It features a storyline in which Marge becomes obsessed with an exercise bike called Pedalon (an obvious riff on Peloton), and embarks on a private ride set in the backdrop of China.
The virtual instructor Jesse tells Marge, “Behold the wonders of China: Bitcoin mines, forced labor camps where children make smartphones, and romance.”
This line has seemingly upset officials in Hong Kong as the episode has been removed from the streaming service there, where new and old episodes of the animated series are traditionally housed, according to The Financial Times and Reuters.
The claim is supported by various outlets, including Yahoo Entertainment, which has checked for the episode’s availability overseas, as well as by others online, who have provided evidence of screenshots to show the episode’s absence on the platform.
“An episode of The Simpsons has been removed on Disney+ in Hong Kong after it made a reference to forced labor camps in China. The episode, titled ‘One Angry Lisa,’ may have violated a film censorship law that was introduced in 2021. Disney has not commented on the incident,” wrote Hong Kong based reporter Jay Ganglani.
Ganglani included a screenshot of the season’s offerings on Disney+, which jumps from episode one to episode three.
An episode of The Simpsons has been removed on Disney+ in Hong Kong after it made a reference to forced labour camps in China. The episode, titled ‘One Angry Lisa,’ may have violated a film censorship law that was introduced in 2021. Disney has not commented on the incident. pic.twitter.com/VoT9pst1Uv
— Jay Ganglani (@GanglaniJay) February 7, 2023
In reference to the aforementioned film censorship law in the city, Financial Times reported that the law “does not apply to streaming services.” However, this is not the first time Disney+ has removed an episode of The Simpsons in Hong Kong. The Season 16 episode “Goo Goo Gai Pan” was notably removed in 2021 for alluding to the Tiananmen Square massacre.
It was stated in 2021 that the film censorship law was introduced by the Hong Kong government to deter content that is said to “endorse, support, glorify, encourage and incite activities that might endanger national security.”
The law grants the Hong Kong’s chief secretary permission to revoke a film’s license if it is “found to be contrary to national security interests.”
