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China's censorship strikes again: Camel's 'unusual' face deemed 'vulgar' on short video platform

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • A Chinese netizen's videos of his camel, 'Bao Bao Tuo,' were removed from a short video platform for allegedly containing 'vulgar content' due to its unusual facial features.
  • The platform's censors requested the owner avoid close-ups of 'prominent parts' of the camel's face, citing concerns about 'vulgar associations.'
  • The owner's appeal was rejected, with the platform's decision sparking widespread ridicule and criticism of China's increasingly absurd censorship mechanisms.

China's pervasive self-censorship on short video platforms has reached a new level of absurdity, with a camel becoming the latest target. A Chinese netizen, known for sharing daily life videos of his one-humped camel, 'Bao Bao Tuo,' found his content flagged as 'vulgar' by platform censors.

The reason cited was the camel's distinctive facial structure, which the censors claimed could lead to "vulgar associations." The platform even advised the owner to adjust his filming angles, specifically requesting that he avoid close-ups of "prominent parts" of the camel's face and instead opt for wider shots of the entire animal.

Can a camel's face be considered vulgar? What are these censors thinking? Do they have vulgar thoughts about one-humped camels?

— Camel ownerThe owner's reaction to the platform's decision to flag his camel's videos as vulgar.

Deeply perplexed and frustrated, the camel owner appealed the decision, questioning the censors' logic. "Can a camel's face be considered vulgar? What are these censors thinking? Do they have vulgar thoughts about one-humped camels?" he reportedly asked, highlighting the bizarre nature of the ruling.

The words typed on the keyboard are not jokes, but sharp swords, the last straw that can crush a camel at any time.

— Camel ownerThe owner's sarcastic response, mimicking official anti-cyberbullying rhetoric.

Despite his appeal, the platform upheld its decision. In response, the owner sarcastically adopted the tone of official "anti-cyberbullying" campaigns, posting, "The words typed on the keyboard are not jokes, but sharp swords, the last straw that can crush a camel at any time." He pleaded with censors not to project their "messy thoughts" onto camels, emphasizing their innocence and his own inability to comprehend such interpretations.

The incident quickly went viral, with many netizens mocking China's censorship apparatus as having "gone mad." The owner expressed his heartbreak, noting that he had raised camels for over a decade, never considering them for anything more than their milk, and could not fathom the "perverted thoughts" others might have about them. He concluded by saying he bore the brunt of the situation, asking the censors to "please let Bao Bao Tuo go."

please let Bao Bao Tuo go.

— Camel ownerThe owner's plea for the censors to stop targeting his camel.
About this summary

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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