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All Film Image Credit: DisneyWhen Disney+ first launched in 2019, the company took extra precautions by placing a warning in the description of films regarding any controversial or outdated scenes before watching some of Disney’s older, classic content. For reference, some of the scenes in question were those from older Disney Animated Classics, such as Disney’s Dumbo and Lady and the Tramp.
Related: Disney+ Drops Video Explaining New Parental Controls
After the initial warnings were displayed in the film’s description, Disney+ decided to update its warnings to reflect the acknowledgment of negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. The new warning, which is shown before certain films, reads:
This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or culture. These stereotypes were wrong then and wrong now. Rather than remove this content, we want to acknlowedge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together. Disney is committed to creating stories with inspiration and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe. To learn more about how stories have impacted society visit www.Disney.com/StoriesMatter.
Related: Disney+ Subscribers Speak Out on Recently Removed Content
Now, it looks as though Disney+ is completely removing some of these films from their streaming service for viewers watching on children’s profiles. The DailyMail states the following regarding Disney+ in the United Kingdom:
Bosses at Disney have blocked anyone under the age of seven from watching the 1953 animated classic on its streaming service over concerns that it portrays racial stereotypes, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
Three other long-standing family favourites – The Aristocats, Swiss Family Robinson and Dumbo – have also been removed from children’s accounts for breaching ‘content advisories’ that were recently put in place.
Parents aren’t too happy about this sudden change; according to DailyMail, one parent said, “I wanted to watch Peter Pan with my daughter, but I couldn’t find it anywhere. Then I realized they had all gone – they had been removed from the kids’ accounts. It was shocking.”
Inside the Magic can also confirm this to be true for the United States. When we checked the children’s account this morning, we could not find The Aristocats on the platform. However, these films are still available on regular profiles, with the same content warning as before.
In case you aren’t familiar, some of these films that have been removed for “breaching content advisories” include Peter Pan, Dumbo, Lady and the Tramp, and others.
In Disney’s Dumbo, for example, during the scene where the black crows sing “When I See an Elephant Fly,” fans and audiences have agreed that it could be depicted and viewed as a negative representation of African Americans.
The same goes for a scene from Disney’s Lady and the Tramp. The Siamese Cats sing the song “The Siamese Cat Song,” which many agree is very catchy, but as you listen closely to the lyrics, it makes sense why there has been controversy.
Are you upset to see Disney+ remove certain films from the children’s profiles? Let us know in the comments below.