Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific has issued an apology for including a Family Guy episode in its inflight entertainment system that features a scene depicting Tiananmen Square. The airline responded to a complaint on social media, acknowledging that the episode may have breached Hong Kong’s national security laws. The controversial scene shows a character standing next to a protester in front of Chinese tanks, reminiscent of the iconic “Tank Man” image from the 1989 massacre in Beijing.
Cathay Pacific has taken immediate action to remove the episode and has ordered a thorough investigation to strengthen oversight by its third-party provider. The Tiananmen massacre remains a sensitive and censored topic in China, and any reference to it is highly controversial. The crackdown on opposition and dissent in Hong Kong has also extended to depictions of the protests, with Amazon Prime’s Expats series and a missing episode from The Simpsons on Disney+ facing similar censorship in the region.
The airline’s swift response highlights the challenges faced by companies operating in a politically charged environment, where any mention of sensitive topics can lead to severe consequences. Cathay Pacific’s apology underscores the complex balancing act that businesses must navigate when dealing with political sensitivities while also providing entertainment to their customers.
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