Censorship in Saudi Arabia

Introduction

The Saudi Arabian government has effectively controlled media operations within the country through the legal enforcement of censorship laws. The country’s political and cultural landscape has been heavily influenced by these regulations for multiple decades, however, the laws have evolved with the progression of developments in technology. Saudi Arabia is officially a Muslim nation and is generally known as being conservative. Interpretations of Islamic texts have commonly influenced the lawmaking process and the Kingdom’s constitution is the Quran. The “main agent of censorship” in the country is the Ministry of Media, and this organization has the responsibility for ensuring what they deem as appropriate information is the only type circulated. The different forms of media that are impacted by Saudi Arabia’s media suppression include but are not limited to newspapers, magazines, books, films, television, social media content on multiple platforms, and the usage of Virtual Private Networks (VPN). Censorship in media can potentially have repercussions on expressionism and human rights, as well as hinder economic activity.