History MediaNotes / CensorshipSystems

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For [[DisproportionateRetribution the crime of looking at this webpage]], you are sentenced to life in a prison camp.

The U.S.A used to have no censorship of films at all. Then the U.S. Supreme Court in 1918 ruled that states could impose censorship on films in ''Mutual Film Corporation v. Industrial Commission of Ohio'', 236 U.S. 230, because motion pictures did not have First Amendment protection. A number of states (and cities) implemented censorship boards; if your film was rejected by the board you could not show it in theatres in the area where the board had jurisdiction. To minimize the effect of these boards and to prevent the United States government from instituting national censorship (a very real possibility given the pressure of MoralGuardians such as the Legion of Decency), in the 1930s the motion picture industry instituted UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode, an industry-based voluntary system of content rues consisting of three General Principles and roughly city specific rules. The strategy worked; the Code itself was more restrictive than any local censorship board.

Most UsefulNotes/{{DVD}}s sold in Ireland are actually the excess stock left over from what companies shift to the UK, meaning that [=DVDs=] sold in Ireland routinely bear a rating from both IFCO and the British Board of Film Classification. These are mostly the same, but IFCO tends to be slightly stricter, which occasionally results in a movie rated 15 in Britain getting an 18 rating right next to it in Ireland.

The United Kingdom is more concerned with the violence, particularly scenes of violence, self-harm, and criminal, disgusting, or antisocial behavior that impressionable audience members might see as fun or easy to imitate in real life. The sex gets through a bit more easily (FamilyFriendlyStripper, post-watershed, is mostly non-existent in the UK, thus resulting in a number of gratuitous pole dancers in many movies) and the language is much stronger after what is known as the nine o'clock {{watershed}}. The continuity announcer usually gives a warning before a film or show that contains swearing, violence, or sex. The British Board of Film Classification ''does'' still retain the ability to censor scenes or even ban films outright, but the threshold for doing so is pretty high; sex scenes featuring an actor under the British age of majority are verboten even if they were of consenting age in the film's country of origin, for example, and a particularly awful quasi-documentary called ''Bumfights''[[note]]If you don't remember this one, YouDoNOTWantToKnow[[/note]] was the first film to get a ban in several decades because its very existence went several miles past acceptable standards. However one instance where cuts are always mandatory is any time where it appears that actual cruelty to animals has been carried out. This is prohibited under the ''Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937'' and the offending scenes have to be removed for the film to be released.

The United Kingdom is more concerned with the violence, particularly scenes of violence, self-harm, and criminal, disgusting, or antisocial behavior that impressionable audience members might see as fun or easy to imitate in real life. The sex gets through a bit more easily (FamilyFriendlyStripper, post-watershed, is mostly non-existent in the UK, thus resulting in a number of gratuitous pole dancers in many movies) and the language is much stronger after what is known as the nine o'clock {{watershed}}. The continuity announcer usually gives a warning before a film or show that contains swearing, violence, or sex. The British Board of Film Classification ''does'' still retain the ability to censor scenes or even ban films outright, but the threshold for doing so is pretty high; sex scenes featuring an actor under the British age of majority are verboten even if they were of consenting age in the film's country of origin, for example, and a particularly awful quasi-documentary called ''Bumfights''[[note]]If you don't remember this one, YouDoNOTWantToKnow[[/note]] was the first film to get a ban in several decades because its very existence went several miles past acceptable standards. Television and radio content is controlled by the general telecommunications regulator Ofcom. They are technically able only to respond to complaints about shows after they are broadcast, but they nevertheless have clout because an Ofcom reprimand is considered seriously damaging to a station's reputation, and very bad and/or repeated breaches can lead to a station being heavily fined or even shut down.[[note]]The most recent example was minor Urdu-language channel Peace TV, which was closed down for rebroadcasting a programme that had previously been held by Ofcom to incite serious violence against Muslim people who practice certain types of faith-healing, amulet-making and white magic that are considered blasphemous and heretical by certain other groups of Muslims[[/note]] As well as "taste and decency" issues, they also investigate claims that non-fiction works were defamatory, invasive of peoples' privacy, or otherwise "unfair" according to the UK's strict requirement for impartiality in broadcast news.

NoSwastikas (by law), [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII obviously]], though depictions of ThoseWackyNazis are usually allowed. Deserves special mention for having VideoGames legally be children's toys and therefore having a more strict rating system. Banned media go onto the "Index", having been "indiziert" and may only be sold under the counter (and thus aren't technically banned, as that would be unconstitutional. It can be hard to tell the difference though). Ratings go in a series of steps from "Age 0 and up", over ages 6+, 12+, 16+ and 18+ (video games not submitted for rating, instead of getting banned, are 'merely' immediately slapped with the 18+ logo), each with a different brightly-colored and (as of 2008ish) super-sized logo, because parents are morons.

After UsefulNotes/WorldWarII and the Chinese Civil War, when the country was still under one-party Kuomintang authoritarian rule, media in Taiwan were strictly managed by the Taiwan Garrison Command and regulated by the Publication Control Act. Any media that the censors thought promoted left-wing ideology, reflected Communist propaganda, corroded popular sentiments or endangered the physical and mental health of youth, etc. were also banned in the country. Also, any references made to the former Taiwanese leader Chiang Kai-shek in an unflattering manner were a [[UnacceptableTargets big deal]] over there back then. In an twist of {{irony}}, use of the Taiwanese language (including in media) was also outlawed there.

In another case of ValuesDissonance, Japan is known for its very violent shonen manga and anime (''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'', ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' and ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'', among many other), [[WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids that get away with straight up]] {{Gorn}}. In contrast, it's video game system is ironically one of the strictest in the world, where excessive violence, decapitation or mutilation either gets heavily edited or even straight up [[NoExportForYou not released in the country.]] Even if given the highest ratings, games like ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption2'' gets its toned down for their Japanese release even for the Z-rating. (The Japanese equivilant of the "Adults Only" rating of the [=ESRB=]) This follows a reversal, when previously, Japanese games during the 80's and 90's had to tone down the violence and blood to even be permitted for a western release.

Censorship in Canada is inconsistent because censorship is for the most part a provincial matter, not a federal matter, so each province has its own rules. (The exceptions are things like hate speech and child pornography, because owning or distributing them are offenses under the ''Criminal Code of Canada'', which is federal.) In non-criminal situations, though, Canadians these days tend to be less tolerant of censorship than Americans. Adult language was heard on Canadian TV as early as the 80s, and it's unusual for movies to be broadcast censored after 9 PM unless the version sanitized for American TV is the only version available. Nudity likewise is usually not much of an issue after 9 PM. Many shows that air with a TV-MA rating stateside, usually get away with a 14+ rating, unless its something much more extreme, like ''Series/GameOfThrones''

Video Games do not require NZ labels (which only applies to unrestricted G, PG or M rating)but they are bound by the same criteria for all media that is required under NZ's Classification law to be given a label. This means that Australian Ratings will be used by default if unrestricted. However games with restricted rating are require to have a red NZ classification label and assigned a specific age restriction ([=R13, R15, R16 and R18=]). Despite being a small but limited market, some Video Games that are censored for Australia can have an impact on NZ (at least for marketing and distribution purposes). For example in 2008, VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV was released with an R18 certificate despite being censored in Australia with an [=MA15+=] rating (at the time Australia did not have the Adult 18+ rating for video games). However a 21 year old man managed to get the uncensored version intact.

The country has been ran by the communist government since Fidel Castro raised into power in 1959. Since then, Cuba's censorship of mainstream media follows the mix of UK (there is more concern over violence than sex), Soviet Union (there is more concern over communism and Marxism--Leninism than capitalism and democracy), and Spain (a bit).

Sadly, Cuba's censorship board has been branded as the "strictest in the world" when it comes to acceptability to adults and children. Cuba has been ranked low on the Press Freedom Index from Reporters Without Borders from 2002 when the index was established (134th out of 139) to the present (169th out of 180 in 2015). In 2006 the Inter American Press Association reported that "repression against independent journalists, mistreatment of jailed reporters, and very strict government surveillance limiting the people's access to alternative sources of information are continuing".

In general, Cuba is more lenient towards violence, coarse language, authoritarianism, indoctrination, middle-class attitudes and atheism but harsher towards sex, nudity, capitalism, democracy and religion. According to the Human Rights Watch the Cuban government represses any forms of political dissident. As a result, Cuba is one of the most repressed countries in the world.

Australia's censorship board has been branded as the strictest in the English-speaking world in terms of acceptability to adults. Pornography is also difficult to come by as all states prohibit the sell of Hardcore Porn [=DVDs=] that are rated [=X18+=], but therefore sold only in territorial regions such as the A.C.T and the Northern Territory.

In General, Australia is more lenient towards Violence and Coarse Language but harsher on Sex and Nudity

Cuba's censorship system is the topic of accusations put forward by several foreign groups-organizations and political leaders. The accusations led the European Union to impose sanctions from 2003 to 2008 as well as statements of protest from groups, governments, and noted individuals. The country has been ran by the communist government since Fidel Castro raised into power in 1959. Since then the censorship of mainstream media follows the mix of UK (there is more concern over violence than sex), Soviet Union (there is more concern over communism than democracy), and Spain (a bit).

Sadly, Cuba's censorship board has been branded as the "strictest country in the world" when it comes to acceptability to adults and children. Cuba has been ranked low on the Press Freedom Index from Reporters Without Borders from 2002 when the index was established (134th out of 139) to the present (169th out of 180 in 2015). In 2006 the Inter American Press Association reported that "repression against independent journalists, mistreatment of jailed reporters, and very strict government surveillance limiting the people's access to alternative sources of information are continuing".

In the past, books, newspapers, radio channels, television channels, movies and music were heavily censored and clandestine printing was highly restricted. Cubans are even discouraged from listening to independent, private, or foreign broadcasts. In 1963, using Soviet-supplied equipment, Cuba became the first nation in the Western Hemisphere to jam radio broadcasts, the main targets being the anti-Fidel Castro stations in the US. In the past, Cubans were banned from reading books, magazines or newspapers unless they have been approved/published by the government.

The Communist regime established a control of Cuba's film industry, and it was made compulsory for all movies to be censored by the ''Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industria Cinematográficos'' before it can be broadcast or release, otherwise it can be resulted in being [[BannedInChina banned]] or [[NoExportForYou never released]]. In recent years, with the emergence of alternative methods to create movies, the list of censored or repressed works increased quickly.

Video games were never banned in Cuba but only a few were sold in the country until 2007 when restrictions were eased.

In general, Cuba is more lenient towards violence, coarse language, authoritarianism, indoctrination, middle-class attitudes and atheism but harsher towards sex, nudity, capitalism, democracy, Christianity and discussion of other religions. According to the Human Rights Watch the Cuban government represses any forms of political dissident.

Also, approved videocassettes released in Malaysia have a label sticker (the symbol of the government, some serial number codes, the name of the film and its home media distributor (in Brunei and Malaysia), and the approval date) on its spine, as pointed out by the inlaid message on a few Malaysian VHS tapes, while a Malaysian VCD would not only receive the same label sticker on the cover, but it also receive a silver hologram sticker like [[https://i.imgur.com/dXP70s6.jpg this.]] The similar thing also applies to Malaysian [=DVDs=] too.