All articles tagged with #content removal
YouTube's AI moderation system has been removing videos that show how to bypass Windows 11 restrictions, leading to concerns about overreach and lack of human oversight, with some speculating possible pressure from Microsoft. Creators are frustrated by the automated process and lack of transparency, fearing it may stifle technical content and free expression.
Elon Musk's social media platform X challenged a Karnataka High Court order in India regarding content removal, arguing it bypasses legal safeguards and violates free speech rights. The court dismissed X's plea, stating the platform must comply with Indian laws, and emphasized that X, as a foreign company, cannot block government content removal actions in India.
Itch.io has removed adult games from its platform due to concerns from payment processors about the content, following similar actions by Steam, leading to deindexing of such titles without prior warning and raising questions about future content policies.
International viewers can no longer stream South Park on Paramount Plus due to ongoing disputes over digital rights and the complications arising from Paramount's merger with Skydance, which has also delayed the show's new season.
Paramount+ is removing some international original content across its markets and will not debut some planned programming sourced outside the U.S. as part of its cost management strategy, focusing on big U.S. studio franchises and reducing local and international originals. This move aligns with the industry trend of streamlining content portfolios to prioritize the biggest hits and license programming to third parties. Paramount president and CEO Bob Bakish emphasized the importance of Hollywood hits and global mass appeal content, while assuring that local content will still be part of Paramount's programming mix through its leading free-to-air networks in Australia, Argentina, Chile, and the U.K.
Streaming platforms are grappling with the decision of whether to expand or trim their libraries of licensed TV series and movies. While some platforms have seen overall catalog growth, others have made significant cuts. Licensed content continues to be a major draw for viewers, with a large portion of streaming time spent on these shows and movies. Niche programming is finding success on free, ad-supported platforms. Some streamers are now considering licensing their content to Netflix, which has seen success with shows like "Suits" and legacy HBO series. However, Netflix is unlikely to become a seller of content in return.
Sony has announced that all Discovery content purchased on the PlayStation Store will be erased from customer libraries by the end of 2023, due to content licensing arrangements with providers. This decision affects users who had previously purchased shows such as MythBusters, Shark Week, and Say Yes to the Dress, among others. The removal of 1,318 seasons of shows has sparked concerns about customer rights and the lack of refunds for the erased content.
PlayStation users have been informed that Discovery content they purchased via the PlayStation Store will no longer be accessible and will be removed from their libraries without any refunds. Over 1,200 titles, including shows like Cake Boss, Deadliest Catch, and Mythbusters, will vanish from users' accounts. The sudden removal is speculated to be due to Discovery's recent merger with Warner Bros. This highlights the issue that even purchased streaming media is not truly owned, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to access physical media versions of shows and movies. Users hope for renewed access or reimbursement for their purchased TV shows.
Capcom has announced that the "collab DLC" content for Monster Hunter Rise will no longer be available for download after January 21, 2024. Players are advised to download the free content before this date if they want to continue using it. The removal of this content is likely due to licensing reasons.
Google's John Mueller stated on Twitter that removing content does not improve the ranking of the remaining content, contradicting Google's own documentation. He advised users to use the "noindex" tag for content they don't want indexed, but emphasized that removing content does not boost rankings. This contradicts previous instances where Google supported content removal for SEO purposes.
Internal company communications viewed by The Wall Street Journal reveal that Facebook removed content related to Covid-19, including posts claiming the virus was man-made, in response to pressure from the Biden administration.
Disney Plus has removed the original movie "Crater" just seven weeks after its premiere on the streaming platform. The sci-fi film, with a budget of $53.4 million, follows a group of friends on a lunar mining colony as they embark on an adventure to explore a legendary crater. No official reason has been given for the removal, but it comes as Disney anticipates a significant writedown in the third quarter. Several other titles were also removed from Disney Plus on June 30, including "Willow" and "Y: The Last Man."
Disney Plus has removed the original film "Crater" just seven weeks after its release, despite positive reviews and discussions surrounding the movie. The decision is part of Disney's strategy to curate content and focus on more profitable projects. The removal is not due to artist residuals but rather the licensing fees that must be paid by the distributor. Disney observes viewership numbers and decides to write off titles with low traffic to cut future costs. However, some argue that the lack of promotion by Disney may have contributed to the low viewership. "Crater" is currently not available to legally watch anywhere.
Disney has removed more original programming from its streaming platforms, including Disney+, Hulu, and Star+, as part of its cost-cutting measures. This wave of removals includes titles such as "Crater" and "More Than Robots," with most of the cuts being Turkish originals. Disney's CEO, Bob Iger, has previously stated that the company will focus on profitability and curate its content more carefully, leading to fewer original productions and the removal of canceled shows from streaming services. Other streaming services, such as Warner Brothers Discovery and Paramount, have also been cutting their original content.
Streaming services are increasingly removing shows from their platforms, a trend driven by financial considerations. One reason is the cost of paying residuals to guild members, which can be eliminated by removing the show entirely. Additionally, shows may be licensed to free, ad-supported channels, generating income for the studios. Removing a show from a platform can also result in a write-down of its value, creating a tax deduction for the company. These actions reflect a shift in the industry towards cost-cutting and financial stability, as companies realize the limitations of subscription fees and the need to appease shareholders. However, this trend may inconvenience viewers and lead to a decline in streaming subscriptions.