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By Britta DeVore| Published 2 days ago

While the latest news in United States based film censoring may come from the move to cut out the smoking of cigarettes in classic features, China has just dropped a swift censorship on a new arthouse flick that was soaring high at the box office. Perhaps taking control back into their own hands following Hollywoods decision to no longer censor films heading to China and prove that theyll continue to monitor productions coming from their own country, the powers that be have pulled Li Ruijuns feature, Return To Dust, from their theaters.

The decision came without rhyme or reason, leaving many folksboth who call the country home and those abroadto question what grounds the choice was made on.

Return To Dust transported viewers to the Gansu province, a rural area where its leading middle-aged couple calls home. The pair were thrown together by their families who saw their marriage as overdue for each party with the story depicting the love that begins to blossom between them as they face the challenges life presents. As wholesome and moving as the description sounds, something in the piece must have riled up those holding the power as China moved forward with the censorship after the film had already proved itself to be an unexpected hit.

Dropping into theaters on July 8, the feature would eventually come to gross over $15 million (RMB100m) during its time both in theaters and on streaming platforms. As for the timeline, the movie was available for at home viewing over the weekend of September 3, where it added $5.3 million (RMB36.2m) to its theatrical earnings. And then, at some point over the next three weeks, those behind Chinas censorship program decided that the feature was no longer suitable and pulled it from the lineup on September 26.

While there wasnt (and most likely wont be) a reason behind Chinas censorship of Return To Dust, there are a few working theories. On the lighter side, its possible that with a long running slate of upcoming productions set to be released in the approaching days, the film was simply taking up both screen space and ticket money, although that wouldnt fully explain its removal from streaming services. On the heavier side, it may have been that the somber yet hopeful story was considered to be just too much to have screening during the National Day holidays celebrations that honor the founding of the Peoples Republic of China.

Whatever the case may be, the films removal was made even worse for the stars, many of whom were non-professionals, save for the female lead Hai Qing.While in the United States we deal with our own censoring dramas, theyre definitely on a different scale compared to Chinas.

This summer alone, there were shakeups in the Hollywood industry with anticipated family friendly features including Lightyear and Thor: Love and Thunder tackling critics that would push to have parts of their storylines removed or altered. Despite all the domestic drama, we can count our lucky stars that unlike Chinas censorship decisions, ours end up on the leading headlines and receive feedback from viewers who both agree and disagree.

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A Hit Movie Just Got Banned And No One Knows Why - Giant Freakin Robot

Evercore ISI Senior Managing Director Mark Mahaney discusses Amazon's stock performance, retailers and consumer habits.

EXCLUSIVE: Entrepreneurs and co-founders of WiFi Money Chris Frederick and Alex Moeller are working with conservative businesses to "beat censorship" on social media platforms, and to ensure they can amplify and monetize their products in an ever-evolving digital world.

Frederick and Moeller co-founded WiFi Money at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, as traditional businesses began to close due to COVID-19 lockdowns.

"The reason we started WiFi Money was because we started to see a shift in what was happeningnot only in the business world, but in the world in general," Moeller, the president of WiFi Money told FOX Business. "All of these people were struggling and out of jobs, and we thought, we need to find a way to really help people make money in the online world."

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Frederick, the CEO of WiFi Money, and a professional soccer player, told FOX Business that they have worked with more than 8,700 businesses since the inception of WiFi Money in 2020.

WiFi Money works with businesses to amplify their footprint on social media platforms. (WiFi Money)

Frederick explained that WiFi Money works with businesses to monetize at a "higher level by amplifying their services online."

"Through collaboration, through influence and public figures, we help them expose what they have offline to the online world," Frederick told FOX Business. "We help small businesses amplify their products and services to reach unlimited peoplethere is no ceiling."

WiFi Money typically works with businesses on social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube. However, Frederick said that some of those businesses have complained about Big Tech censorship.

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"I am definitely against censorship. I do not agree with it. I dont think it should be something that is allowed, and, essentially, what we do specifically with our businesses is two things: we remind the businesses that unless their business is in politics, they need to remember that their social media is 100% business, not personal," Moeller explained. "A lot of people, where they make mistakes, is they treat their business page as a personal page, and forget they are trying to build a business."

Moeller added, though, that these businesses "feel they are being censored."

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Frederick told FOX Business that the majority of businesses they work with are conservative businesses "seeking our help."

"We consider ourselves a conservative company," Frederick said. "I dont agree with Big Tech censorship and I think they have lost their markets. Social media is trying to control the reach of the people who made them who they are."

WiFi Money co-founders Chris Frederick (right) and Alex Moeller (left) started their company at the beginning of the COVID pandemic.

Frederick said that Big Tech companies "have lost the true markthe people and the reach of the people that were able to boost them to begin with."

"And now they are trying to limit them," Frederick said.

As for censorship, Frederick told Fox Business that "when you create interaction, it helps boost the algorithm."

"We have come up with ways to beat censorship and allow conservative businesses to be able to excel at a higher rate than they are now," Frederick said.

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"Over the years, these platforms have made it harder and harder for average individuals to have any reach on the platform, unless you pay them money," Moeller explained. "We teach these businesses and individuals how to organically make money from heir social media.

Moeller added: "Communication is the most powerful tool."

"Our brand continues to explode and grow online," Lavallee said, adding that WiFi Money is "a big part of our recipe for success. (Apple / Fox News)

"I tell people that if you can build a successful relationship, then you can build a very successful business," Frederick said. "Essentially, they are the same thing."

One business that has used WiFi Money to grow online is "The Cake Girl"a custom bakery located in Tampa, Florida.

Kristina Lavallee opened her first brick and mortar location in June 2019, but when the COVID-19 pandemic began, "The Cake Girl" began shipping products nationwide.

"Chris and Alex, with their social media expertise, were able to continue to help our brand shine and elevate our presence all over the USA," Lavallee told Fox Business.

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"The Cake Girl" has more than 100,000 followers on Instagram, and is continuing to grow its online presence.

"Our brand continues to explode and grow online," Lavallee said, adding that WiFi Money is "a big part of our recipe for success."

Meanwhile, Moeller said WiFi Money helps businesses to understand what their goals are, and designs plans to execute those goals in an online space.

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"Weve learned that one person cant talk to 1 million people," Frederick told FOX Business. "But one post can reach 1 million people."

"We are remaining true to what we teach, which is being present in the online space," Moeller said. "We dont know whats going to happen in the next year, or two years, or four years in this country, and we have just realized that the best way to do business is to do it online."

He added: "We have learned that doing business online is really the most effective way of making money right now."

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WiFi Money working with conservative businesses to 'beat censorship' on social media platforms - Fox Business

Conservative figures have accused YouTube of political censorship after the video hosting platform removed an interview with Donald Trump over "misinformation."

In July, the former president appeared on the Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show, with the interview still available to watch on Facebook and on the podcast's website.

However, the interview has been pulled from YouTube, with a message on the site stating that the video had violated its community guidelines.

In a series of tweets, Travis said YouTube took down the video for "misinformation" without giving further details.

"How does censoring interviews with political leaders aid any voters or democracy itself? This is scary. When have political censors ever been on the right side of history?" Travis tweeted.

"Voters should be able to see everything that any political figure says in public in order to judge for themselves whether they want to support or not support that person. That's democracy itself. YouTube should be ashamed for censoring interviews with any political figure."

Replying to the tweets, Texas GOP Senator Ted Cruz wrote: "This...is...insane."

Trump attorney Jenna Ellis also described the video's removal as "ridiculous," with Sean Davis, co-founder of the conservative website The Federalist, tweeting: "These Big Tech tyrannies have become governments unto themselves. They don't need to be regulated or reined in. They need to be destroyed before they destroy our entire constitutional republic."

It's unclear what prompted YouTube to remove the video.

During the interview, Trump claimed that the 2020 Election was "rigged and stolen" a claim he has made in almost every interview and public appearance for nearly two years now.

As he persisted with the unsubstantiated claims, Trump even expressed concern that the video might be removed.

"No sitting president's ever even come close, and I lost. It was a rigged election," Trump said. "I hope they don't take you off the air, but if they do, please, just delete this, because I don't want to see you guys go off the air."

Elsewhere in the July interview, Trump also appears to suggest that there is a link between the rise of COVID cases in the U.S. and the fact the midterm elections would be taking place in a few months.

"I looked at a map yesterday. It's very interesting. We have an election coming up, and all of a sudden, they're saying COVID is all over the place," Trump said.

When Clay responds that the "midterm variant is certainly spreading," Trump replies: "May have to go to mail-in ballots. Crooked mail-in ballots."

Conspiracy theorists have previously attempted to make the claim that the coronavirus pandemic was a hoax so mail-in voting would have to be brought in for the 2020 Election, making it easier to rig it against Trump.

Conservatives have also frequently spoken out about how so-called "Big Tech" such as Google, Facebook or YouTube reportedly censor right-wing voices in favor of more liberal ones.

YouTube has been contacted for comment.

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Donald Trump Interview Removed by YouTube Decried as 'Insane' Censorship - Newsweek

Considering the show's strong bent towards social justice, it's not too surprising to find that one of the biggest inspirations for the series was the 1955 murder of Emmett Till. Till was aBlack 14-year-old boy who was"abducted, beaten, and shot" while visiting family in Mississippi, and whose killers both white were acquitted of all charges by an all-white jury. It was a tragedy that helped kickstart the civil rights movement, and also inspired Rod Serling to write a teleplay ("Noon on Doomsday") about the racism that led to such a miscarriage of justice unfolding.

Serling was expecting to deal with a lot of pushback and censorship with his script, but was still surprised by how extreme it all turned out to be. He later claimed the story was "gone over with a fine-tooth comb by 30 different people," and that by the time it aired it was basically unrecognizable from the story Serling was trying to tell. As Smithsonian Magazine put it, "Any hint of the South was removed from the plot; not even a Coca-Cola bottle could appear, lest viewers invoke the idea of the region."

The whole thing made Serling rethink his approach to social commentary, and soon after he had the idea for "The Twilight Zone," a show that was about apolitical sci-fi/fantasy concepts on the surface, but often used them as an avenue to explore more controversial ideas. It was through the "Twilight Zone" that Serling managed to get his Emmett Till-inspired story aired on TV: the aforementioned episode "I Am the Night," which is still one of the most memorable episodes of the series.

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Censorship Was The Spark That Sent Rod Serling To The Twilight Zone - /Film

John Oliver was a bit puzzled that his reference on HBOs Last Week Tonight to the shocking death of Queen Elizabeth II was censored by Sky television in the UK. Or at least thats what he told Seth Meyers last night on NBCs Late Night.

With more than a little comic disingenuousness, Oliver insisted that his censored comment hed said that the UK was reeling from the shocking death of a 96-year-old woman from natural causes wasnt even a joke, but merely a fact stated with a kind of dickish inflection.

And yet they cut it out, Oliver continued, which is pretty shitty because apparently all weve heard all week is the queen had this incredible sense of humor. Just nonstop Oh, she was so funny. Seth, she was so funny. The queen, she was razor sharp. Both Oliver and Meyers then teased the commentators who insisted, repeatedly, that the Queen was a laugh riot.

Said Oliver about the oft-aired clip in which Queen Elizabeth shared marmalade sandwiches with Paddington Bear, Im watching a bear carry her comedically in a scene. Shes giving that bear nothing back.

As Deadline reported last week,UK pay TV service Sky cut portions ofLast Week TonightWith John Oliver over the tongue-in-cheek comments. Angered viewers took to social media to question why two segments had been dropped from the British version of the HBO satire show, which followed the UK royals passing last Thursday.

The comments in question came in a post-opening credits segment. During this, Oliver lampooned several unexpected social media tributes to the Queen from the likes of cartoon character The Crazy Frog and Dominos Pizza, saying: Obviously, we have to start with the UK, which is clearly still reeling from the shocking death of a 96-year-old woman from natural causes. It is a big moment this week and for some reason absolutely everyone felt they had to wade in on [it].

In another comment minutes later, Oliver responded to new UK leader Liz Truss praise of profit-making companies by saying: The nicest thing the Queen of England ever did for anyone was die the week that woman became Prime Minister. Because for at least a week, shes not going to be getting justifiably destroyed for answers like that.

Watch Olivers segment with Meyers above.

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John Oliver Perplexed Over UK Censorship Of His Queen Joke: Didnt She Have This Incredible Sense Of Humor? - Deadline