In Japan, this type of tone is known as a regulation sound and has long been used in television broadcasts to obscure profanity, personal information and other material unsuitable for air. The steady electronic bleep became instantly recognisable because it replaced the offending word without cutting the audio track. As clips, anime edits and short-form videos spread online, creators outside Japan began using the same sound as a visual and verbal joke, signalling a deliberate cover-up even when nothing offensive was said.