--- title: "China Cracks Down on Violent Cartoons" description: "China has officially banned any children's cartoons and TV shows that make any mention of violence, vulgarity, or pornography." date: "2021-09-27" modified: "2021-09-27" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/china-cracks-down-violent-cartoons" categories: - "Future Society" tags: - "china" - "the digest" - "tv" --- # China Cracks Down on Violent Cartoons ![China has officially banned any children's cartoons and TV shows that make any mention of violence, vulgarity, or pornography.]() *\Image: Sony Pictures\* ## Violence and Pornography China has officially banned any children's cartoons and TV shows that make any mention of violence, vulgarity, or pornography, [*CNN* reports]() — an escalation of an entertainment industry crackdown that's already well underway. The National Radio and Television Administration made the announcement late Friday night. TV channels must "resolutely resist bad plots" and limit broadcasts to "excellent cartoons with healthy content," according to [a statement]() translated by *CNN*. ## Cancelled The new rules appear to have already been implemented, causing a popular Japanese series called "Ultraman Tiga" to be taken off streaming platforms late last week. State-run newspaper [*Global Times* suggested]() it was removed due to its "violent criminal elements." Fans expressed dismay on Chinese social media, with a related hashtag being viewed more than 84 million times, according to *CNN*. Some 21 cartoons and TV dramas, including "Peppa Pig" and "My Little Pony," were already flagged by authorities in April after parents complained they contained "inappropriate behavior," as [*South China Morning Post* reported]() at the time. ## Unhealthy Content Last week's ban is part of a much greater cultural crackdown in China. The news comes after Chinese regulators tightened rules over what it called "unhealthy content" in TV shows earlier this month. Authorities also [banned "effeminate" aesthetics](), promising to promote more heteronormative images of masculinity while criticizing male celebrities who used makeup. It's an alarming trend aimed at social control — and China's youth are bearing the brunt. **READ MORE:** [Cartoons and children's shows are next on the chopping block in China's entertainment crackdown]() \[*CNN*\] **More on China's regulator:** *[China Says Minors Can Only Play Three Hours of Online Games Per Week]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()