Nicole Kidman's latest project, 'Expats,' has sparked controversy and speculation about censorship in Hong Kong. While the American drama series about expatriate women has been released on Amazon Prime, viewers in Hong Kong are blocked from accessing it, leading to concerns over shrinking civil liberties in the city.
Hong Kong has been tightening its controls on political speech following the 2019 anti-government protests that had rocked the city. In 2020, China imposed a National Security Law that criminalized certain political activities, including advocating for independence. Since then, hundreds of activists have been arrested or forced into exile, and opposition-leaning media outlets have been forced to shut down.
The first episode of 'Expats' features a scene where rally participants chant in Cantonese, demanding real general elections. The trailer for the show also includes a reference to the Umbrella Movement of 2014, where protesters demanded the right to elect the city's Chief Executive. The inclusion of these politically charged moments may have contributed to the decision to block the series in Hong Kong.
This is not the first instance of content censorship in the city. The Walt Disney Co. previously removed an episode of 'The Simpsons' from its Disney Plus streaming service in Hong Kong, which mentioned 'forced labor camps' in China. It remains unclear if these content removals were voluntary decisions by the companies or if authorities were involved in the process.
In June 2021, the Hong Kong government amended the Film Censorship Ordinance, granting itself the authority to remove films that may be deemed a threat to national security. This change gives them the power to censor content that includes acts or activities that could be seen as endangering national security.
When asked about the issue, a spokesperson from the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of Hong Kong refrained from commenting and directed inquiries to Amazon. However, representatives from Amazon have not yet provided a response.
It is worth noting that Kidman's involvement in the series itself faced controversy last year. During the height of the pandemic, the Hong Kong government granted her special permission to skip mandatory quarantine when she arrived in the city to film 'Expats,' as reported by local media outlet HK01.
Adding to the concerns surrounding censorship, the Hong Kong government recently announced plans to adopt a local version of the National Security Law implemented in 2020.
As the situation in Hong Kong continues to evolve, the blocking of 'Expats' raises questions about the extent of censorship and eroding civil liberties in the city. The actions taken by authorities and the involvement of international companies in censoring content have raised alarms among those concerned about the freedom of expression in Hong Kong.
