DisneyLife (Photo : DisneyLife)
Users of DisneyLife who opened the OTT service’s website recently could not access the portal. They were told that the service is down for an upgrade.
However, The Wall Street Journal reported that DisneyLife, which was launched in China in December 2015 in partnership with e-commerce giant Alibaba, was suspended upon the request of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT).
The move comes on the heels of Apple’s online book and movie services in China closed over the weekend as part of Beijing’s directive for the SAPPRFT to regulate overseas content seen by Chinese viewers.
DisneyLife actually became unavailable to Chinese users in early March, reported The South China Morning Post (SCMP). Alibaba, the owner of SCMP, said it would refund in full the $125 that subscribers paid for their device to access DisneyLife for those who would request for a return of their money.
However, it seems the offer for refund does not sit well with some subscribers who want an explanation over the suspension of the service or if it would return. The suspension comes just weeks before Shanghai Disneyland opens on June 16.
The SAPPRFT announced on Feb. 13 the approval of the new Regulation for the Management of Online Publishing Services which took effect in early March. Under the law, China put in place stricter rules on the publication online of original or adapted creative works such as games, images, comics, animation, and video and audio recordings.
