Egypt Demands That Netflix Drop Content the Country Deems 'Offensive'
The content that is being referenced is understood to be media that features members of the LGBT+ community.
Egypt became the most recent country to join six other Arab nations — including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman — to demand that streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ drop content it deems "offensive." The content that is being referenced is understood to be media that features members of the LGBT+ community.
This comes after a recent statement from the UAE's media regulatory authorities was released earlier in the week. The organization is asking Netflix to take down media content that goes against the societal values of its country. In the public statement, the office noted that they would be in touch with the streaming company about next steps. The joint notice from the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), which is headquartered in Abu Dhabi called out Netflix and its broadcasting practices.
The organization directly cautioned the company to have the content removed that especially targeted children.
Although many of Arab organizations calling out western streaming services did not directly specify what type of content was offensive, reports state that in recent years, several Arab nations have condemned movies and series with same-sex depictions within their story lines.
\u201cThe joint statement by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) and the Media Regulatory Office on the offensive content on Netflix platform \n#Netflix #TDRAUAE \n@tdrauae @uaemro\u201d— \u062a\u062f\u0631\u0627 \ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddea TDRA (@\u062a\u062f\u0631\u0627 \ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddea TDRA) 1662523258
The recent developments do not signify the first hint of tensions between Arab countries and western streaming services. Earlier in June, several members of the Muslim community worked to ban the public showing of Disney’s Lightyear, an animation by the streaming service that depicted two lesbian characters.
According to an exclusive statement that Esra Assery, CEO of the Saudi General Commission for Audiovisual Media made to Arab News, the organization would take "all legal measures" if their warnings were not adhered to.
“All legal measures will be taken to protect the Kingdom’s sovereignty, citizens and residents from any intellectual attack aimed at affecting its societies, values, safety of upbringing their generations and protecting them from harmful content.”
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