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Censorship

Censorship
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Censorship. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says filmmakers should not feel “too pressured and constrained” to the point of having to ask “five times” whether a scene would be approved. Photo: dpa
Malaysia

Anwar’s call for creative freedom clashes with Malaysia’s censorship reality

The prime minister’s remarks come after Malaysia’s top court upheld a ban on the independent film ‘Mentega Terbang’ last month.

South Korea

South Korea ‘fake news’ law triggers free speech, censorship fears

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Japan

Is self-censorship behind Japan’s ‘problematic’ press freedom ranking?

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How Hong Kong crime films have adapted in the national security law era

From Donnie Yen’s The Prosecutor to Cold War 1994, recent Hong Kong police thrillers are navigating tightened censorship in ingenious ways.

Lau Ching-wan (left) and Raymond Lam Fung in a still from Detective vs Sleuths.
War and conflict

Opinion | Blinding the world with lies makes peacemaking an impossible task

From Iran to the Horn of Africa, disinformation is killing diplomacy. Mediators need facts, not state-sponsored fictions.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Sons of the Neon Night leads 2026 Hong Kong Film Awards nominations

Amid controversy over four titles removed from the ballot, Sons of the Neon Night and Back to the Past dominate the award nominations.

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Hong Kong society

Hong Kong travel agency backs out of Taiwan trip over controversial film screening

Jetport Travel also distances itself from promotion of tour organised by e-commerce platform As One, says wording ‘crossed the line’.

Hong Kong director Kiwi Chow Kwun-wai revealed last December that Deadline, starring Anthony Wong Chau-sang (centre), was banned in the city after waiting for more than four months for approval. Photo: Handout
India

Journalists in Indian Kashmir face censorship as police demand ‘peace’ pledges

Journalists face summons and pressure to vow not to ‘disturb peace’ following reports on state profiling of religious institutions.

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

Former EU commissioner is among those barred as the US targets individuals it says are involved in censoring US social media platforms.

The most high-profile target was French ‌former business executive Thierry Breton, who served as the European commissioner. Photo: dpa
Australia

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

Measures to rein in tech companies risk opening the door to tighter state oversight of online platforms, analysts say.

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Australia banned social media for children under 16 earlier this month. Photo: dpa
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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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’.

Young men play online games and surf the internet at a cyber cafe in Jakarta last month. Photo: AFP
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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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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In its latest online censorship campaign, China’s internet regulator has punished influencers and internet platforms for “presenting negative emotions that damage the online ecosystem”. Photo: Shutterstock
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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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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Protesters clash with police in front of the parliament building in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Monday. Photo: EPA
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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