Overview

• Disney+ has streamed the original The Abyss with a scene of a live rat submerged in fluorocarbon liquid that was cut from all UK cinema, DVD and broadcast releases.
• The BBFC banned the rat-drowning clip under the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937 and Video Recordings Act 1984 after the RSPCA warned it breached animal-welfare laws.
• Current BBFC and Ofcom regulations do not apply to streaming platforms in the same way as traditional media, allowing Disney+ to show the controversial footage legally.
• The RSPCA is urging lawmakers to impose the same animal-cruelty standards on streaming services as on cinema, home entertainment and television.
• Under the forthcoming Media Act, Ofcom will gain new oversight of video-on-demand services, a move expected to close the animal-welfare loophole on streaming platforms.