Netflix must remove some of its shows and movies deemed offensive from the streaming service because they’re violating Islamic and societal values and principles, several Gulf Arab countries have requested via Saudi Arabia’s media regulator.
In a joint statement issued by the Gulf Cooperation Council’s Committee of Electronic Media, the six-country council said some of the streaming service’s offensive content is directed at children, but it did not specify the content.
The Riyadh-based Commission said the content violated media regulations in the Gulf Cooperation Council – which groups Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait – stressing that necessary legal measures will be taken to ensure adherence to the laws if Netflix continued to broadcast the content.
The Saudi Gazette reported that the Kingdom’s own General Commission for Audiovisual Media (GCAM) demanded the content be removed or threatened it would initiate legal action.
In a program discussing the issue, Saudi state-run Al Ekhbariya TV showed blurred-out animation clips – a scene from an animated Jurassic Park show marketed for children – that appeared to show two female characters embracing.
The Saudi television outlet pointed out that the streaming service promoted homosexuality by focusing excessively on homosexuals, accusing it of being a cinematic cover for immoral messages that threaten the healthy upbringing of children.
Netflix, which has previously complied with such requests, has yet to address the request. It did not immediately comment on the issue.
A similarly worded statement regarding Netflix content was also issued on Tuesday by the UAE, which along with other Muslim states banned Walt Disney-Pixar’s animated feature film “Lightyear” from screening in cinemas earlier this year because it features characters in a same-sex relationship.
Responding to the controversy, Disney said the release of its content would reflect local values and align with local regulatory requirements.
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