Netflix must remove LGBTQ + content in Gulf states or face legal consequences
The Gulf Group calls on Netflix to remove “offensive content” that is contrary to Islamic principles.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has issued a joint statement warning that it will otherwise take legal action if the giant streaming service fails to meet the requirements. Arab news has been reported (opens in a new tab).
This means people living in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the UAE may soon need one of the best VPN services to bypass censorship and access the full Netflix catalog as yet.
While the incriminating content has yet to be determined, Esra Assery, Director General of the Saudi General Audiovisual Media Commission (GCAM) told Arab News that it “violates Islamic and social values and principles.” They appear to include films and programs aimed at children.
At the same time, referring to the French film Cuties, The BBC reported that Saudi national news channel Al-Ekhbariya has accused Netflix of spreading “immoral messages that endanger the healthy upbringing of children.”
In another video, the TV channel claims that the popular streaming platform is using its content to promote “homosexuality by focusing excessively on gays.” The original tweet is below.
To date, Netflix has not issued a formal answer to such allegations.
| # نتفليكس ل للشذوذ الجنسي للأطفال تحت اء سينمائي .. ل #Netflix في السعودية ا؟ # نشرة_النهارJ20نهارJ20kenهارJ20enxu5fرJ20September 6, 2022
Even though there are no formal laws regarding sexual orientation, homosexual sex is still considered a prohibited act. Therefore, this is not the first time that Arab countries in the Persian Gulf are using censorship to prevent LGBTQ + references from being displayed.
In April, Saudi Arabia blocked distribution to national theaters Doctor Strange in the multiverse of madness like Disney refused to remove the homosexual scenes.
In June, it’s time for the UAE to ban animated film Light-year for a kiss between two girl characters. In the same month, toys and clothes in rainbow colors were banned in Saudi stores.
How to watch censored Netflix content
Following recent events, it is likely that people living in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and other Arab areas of the Persian Gulf will soon not be able to watch the full Netflix catalog as they do right now.
Fortunately, there is software that can help with this: a VPN.
Born as a way to increase user privacy on the internet, virtual private networks are growing among avid streamers as a way to bypass internet censorship and other types of content blockers.
This is because every time you connect to a VPN, you do so through one of the secure international servers. Put simply, it allows you to spoof your IP address and trick your ISP into thinking you are in a completely different part of the world.
Due to the fact that it is against the streaming service terms – but not the law – you need a powerful Netflix VPN to bypass geographic restrictions and successfully access libraries around the world.
If you live in any of the affected countries and are considering obtaining such a tool to enjoy greater streaming freedom, please be aware that viewing prohibited content may be illegal and you do so at your own risk.
But while we don’t suggest breaking such laws, we recommend choosing a safe VPN provider to stream your content worldwide in the safest way possible.
