Amazon removes film after receiving one Ofcom complaint

NME

Amazon Prime Video has removed a film from its library after receiving one Ofcom complaint.

Filipino film Pamasahe, which was released in 2022, was found to be in breach of the regulator’s code, with the removal coming after the recent passing of the Media Bill in the UK’s House of Lords.

The new law means streamers must be regulated the same as traditional broadcasters in Britain in areas such as harmful content.

According to Deadline, one person complained to Ofcom after initially writing to Amazon about a scene in Pamasahe that “concerned about the inclusion of a baby in scenes depicting sexual activity between adults”.

After reportedly receiving no response – and then an unsatisfactory response from the streamer – they contacted the regulator, who in turn then contacted the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC).

They advised that “the sequence…contains a frame that would contravene the Protection of Children Act 1978….on the basis that it shows a child in the same frame as sexual activity”. After the BBFC contacted Amazon, the film was removed.

The streamer said in response that it believed that it had “robust, complete and effective” checking measures in place, evidenced by “over a decade of content distribution under the supervision of Ofcom without any prior formal investigations from Ofcom.”

They added: “These sorts of content policies are nuanced and we regularly evaluate where we can make improvements.”

Pamasahe follows the story of “a penniless mother, with her infant child” who “takes on a journey by land and sea to find her husband in Manila”. “But this trip won’t be free for she has to use her body to get to her destination,” the synopsis adds.

Speaking previously in response to the Media Bill, Netflix SVoD’s policy boss Benjamin King argued that the rules could “prove unworkable or risk a chilling effect” (via Deadline).

In other news, Amazon Prime Video introduced advert breaks to its shows earlier this year, with users able to upgrade to an ad-free version for an extra £2.99 per month.

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