Censorship in Saudi Arabia

Introduction

The government of Saudi Arabia has a historical record of censoring websites and internet usage. This directly impacts social media platforms, streaming service platforms, organizational data, social media usage, press that is permitted to be published, etc. Since the beginning of the usage of the Internet, there have been developments and will likely continue to be developments legally as there are innovative systems, hardware, and complexities that all impact the lawmaking process. Citizens and residents both practice self-censorship, and there is also an existing Committee responsible for the regulation of digital footprints and media.

History

In 1994, state institutions originally had Internet connectivity and three years later King Fahd approved it for the public. After its approval in 1997, in January 1999 is when Saudi Arabia initially permitted the public to utilize the Internet usage through local service providers. The gap of two years between approval and usage was largely due to the authoritative control that the state was attempting to impose on information usage and circulation. The development and deployment of a system to control the information flow was not a constraint but did require time and investment. Upon this permission, it was promised that the future state would present a committed mission toward prohibiting objectionable data online. Internet access for people in the region retrieving it was heavily regulated and only offered usage to educational, medicinal, and research institutions. The population was free to purchase the systems and computers to enable connectivity through dial-up services to international ISPs, though this was quite expensive. Despite this constraint, 30,000 residents were taking advantage of the Internet using this process. This also introduced correspondence and communication via email and chat rooms on a global scale, though the World Wide Web was not available. A committee was implemented by Saudi Arabia in order to shelter the nation from content that would later be prohibited. Content that would pose offense to the nation, the contradiction to Islam, or controversy about the government and those in command were examples of what was regarded as immoral. Data was strictly monitored to avoid violations of Islam, Arab culture, customs, traditions, etc. Firewalls were created and deployed as a systematic prevention of the abuse of the Internet. Examples of these sites included gambling, pornographic sites, violence, defamatory press, etc. An officially sanctioned list was even created rather than having users type a URL of a site. Any user that chose to attempt to gain access to a restricted site was quickly presented with a warning screen for logging off that attempt. This was the beginning of the long series of prohibitions placed by the Saudi government on its users of the Internet.

Existing Laws and Regulations

As of January 2021, there are 39.5 million mobile subscribers in Saudi Arabia. The fast growth of mobile subscribers has led to the development of a well-equipped infrastructure for internet connection. However, the government of Saudi Arabia exercises strict control over the internet to limit connection and restrict certain amenities such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services like WhatsApp, Viber, Facetime, and Facebook Messenger.

Restrictions on VoIP Services

The motives behind the restriction of VoIP services in Saudi Arabia have not been publicly communicated. However, a two-year study at the University of California, Riverside identified the reasons. The country has a history of strict restriction and blocking of content that violates human rights standards as protected by international committees. Defamatory and harmful commentary about the royal family, Islam, or political tensions are banned.

Blocked Websites and Content

Over 500,000 websites were blocked in 2020 in Saudi Arabia, according to a study by a Jordanian digital marketing consultancy. Content related to violence, pornography, drugs, gambling, certain music channels, sports channels, pro-Damascus, pro-choice, human rights sites, and social media groups dedicated to human rights are still banned. The government does not require consent to remove or block content, and residents/citizens who post such content may face legal consequences.

Transparency

The list of blocked organizations or websites and nonconsensual content removal is not publicly available. Attempts to access these websites result in generic error displays, but there is no way of identifying the information from a list or transparency report. This leads to self-censorship among citizens. Topics considered taboo and previously mentioned blocks are known within the region, and users face the threat of penalties if they violate these restrictions. An "electronic army" exists to prevent the use of prohibited content and identify violators, who may be fined, imprisoned, or both.

Saudi Arabia’s Cultural Preservation and Security Concerns

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.

Saudi has an anti-cybercrime law in order to guarantee secure use of the Internet and guard the country’s users of the latest technology. The government has indicated that restrictions will protect the public’s interest, moralities, and the inhabitant’s privacy. The penalties that exist are intended to discourage transmission of illegal content that may potentially pose harm or threaten the safety of those in Saudi Arabia. The laws specifically have preventative measures for blackmailing, defamation, and breaching citizen’s privacy by blocking unauthorized recordings or photography. With the rise of social media platforms threatening individual’s safety and increasingly high risks of identity impersonation, stalking, defamation, deepfakes, bank account breeches, and other jeopardizing factors, Saudi Arabia has stated that the implementation of varying laws will act as a preventative measure against exploitation and cybercrime. Predictably, this will also increase national security and stability and prevent extreme radicalism, terrorism, and hate speech whilst preserving public order and welfare.

Exploration Of Different Theoretical Approaches

Consequentialist moral theories are those that are categorized as the rightness of an action being exclusively determined by the effect to which it creates good consequences. Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory. It defines the best actions having the most pleasure or happiness, thus having the utmost amount of good for the maximum amount of people. Deontological theories hold the rightness of an action dependent on factors further than consequences, considering intentions, justice, respect of rights, intrinsic rightness.

Utilitarianism is challenged due to its nature of inadequate consideration for justices. One major constraint is the complexity of subjects like intellectual freedoms (Ward/Philosophical Issues). With respect to these ideologies, censorship is undesirable because suppression of discourse or censorship would have negative consequences. It will be less likely that truth will be exposed or conserved and has disparaging elements for the intellectuality of those subjected to it. It also assumes that what specific individuals think is “bad”, must be a constant and determined as negative by all which is statistically untrue. The attempt to silence an opinion by those in authority does not necessarily mean it is false. Those who wish to suppress it may deny its truth, but they are not always correct. They do not have the power to make decisions for everyone and prevent others from forming their own opinions. Refusing to consider an opinion simply because one is convinced it is wrong is equivalent to assuming that their confidence is absolute. Any attempt to silence discussion is a claim of being infallible. This is the reason many countries operate under the assumption that free speech is a human right, and that censorship infringes on that natural right.

Censorship Practices

Government Censorship Practices

Censorship in Saudi Arabia is a highly organized and carefully executed operation that is strictly controlled by the government. The government holds complete authority over the media content that is made available to the public and has established a specialized committee to enforce its censorship policies. This committee is responsible for overseeing the implementation of censorship rules and uses a variety of tools and methods to ensure that the content that is accessible to the public aligns with the government's standards. One of the primary ways in which the government enforces censorship is through the use of firewalls, content filtering, and keyword blocking. These tools allow the government to limit access to certain websites, social media platforms, and other online content, thus ensuring that only material that aligns with the government's standards is accessible to the public. Additionally, private companies in Saudi Arabia also play a significant role in the censorship process by utilizing commercial censorship software. Reports indicate that the censorship system in Saudi Arabia is comprehensive, sophisticated, and specifically designed to monitor and regulate online expression. The government's aim is to maintain a sense of cultural and moral purity, and to preserve the values and beliefs of the Saudi Arabian society. Despite the strict censorship measures in place, there have been instances of individuals attempting to bypass these restrictions and access prohibited content. However, the government remains vigilant and continues to enforce its censorship policies rigorously, making it difficult for individuals to access restricted information.

Interview

Jamal Ahmad Khashoggi, was a Saudi journalist who participated in an interview with The Economist to discuss his perception on free expression in Saudi Arabia and within the Middle East. Throughout the interview, he explains that the Saudi Arabian government greatly controls the Internet, media, and communicative devices to block any condemnation of the government, royal family, or the Islam. He states throughout the interview that journalist and activist who express thoughts against the government are sometimes subject to arrest, imprisonment, and fines. Jamal Khashoggi was banned from writing and tweeting at the time of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and the holy month of fasting. He was not given a definitive reason to go silent, but he says it began after speaking at the Washington Institute, where he declared that Saudi Arabia should not be content with Donald Trump’s election. Khashoggi left for America after hearing about an occurrence of big arrests that occurred during the Qatari crisis. Notable arrests included Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud, journalists, activists, figures of social media, and others who remained silent during the time, and were blamed for being conspirators. Mr. Khashoggi stated that he would not return because he does not want to risk losing his freedom. On October 2, 2018, Jamal Khashoggi was assassinated during a visit to the Saudi Consulate located in Istanbul.

Survey

Northwestern University in Qatar recently conducted a survey to gain insights into the attitudes of individuals in several Middle Eastern countries towards censorship in media and entertainment. The survey was administered to over 6,000 individuals in Egypt, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates. The results revealed that censorship is a widely accepted practice in the region, with a significant portion of respondents agreeing with the banning of offensive content. In particular, 76% of respondents in Saudi Arabia expressed their support for censorship measures aimed at removing offensive material from the media landscape.

This high level of support for censorship in Saudi Arabia can be attributed to several factors, including cultural norms, religious beliefs, and a desire to maintain public morality. According to this report, censorship is seen as a means of preserving cultural and religious values and maintaining a sense of order and stability in the society. The results of this survey provide valuable insights into the attitudes of individuals in the Middle East towards censorship and can be used to inform future policy decisions and discussions on media regulation in the region.

Human Rights Impact

Peaceful Protests and Detentions

As referenced in the Interview Section, there have been a number of peaceful protests in Saudi Arabia calling for political and social changes and amendments to existing legislation. There have been reports of citizens and residents being detained or imprisoned without trial on grounds related to unauthorized or immoral cyber use. Thousands have been detained in unfavorable conditions without trial. Prolonged detention does not guarantee access to lawyers, medical care, or family visits. The Amnesty International has written to the Saudi Arabian authorities for permission to participate in the viewing of trials, recommendations, and other requests for information about these related arrests.

Violation of International Law

The gaps viewed in the anti-terrorism laws are the vague and ambiguous definitions of terrorism, and what is stated as “Unlawful restrictions on freedom of expression”. The criminalization of cyber use that does not harm, but rather educates and is peaceful by nature is deemed by the organization as unethical. The improper handling of trials would be categorized as a violation against International Law, with consideration that “everyone has the right to a fair trial by a competent, independent, and impartial tribunal established by law”. Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirm several unanimous principles, and judicial proceedings have been documented to violate international law. An important right that is stated in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Right guarantees “the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has recently stressed, in the context of deprivation of liberty linked to or resulting from use of the internet, that: the peaceful, non-violent expression or manifestation of one’s opinion, or dissemination or reception of information, even via the Internet, if it does not constitute incitement to national, racial or religious hatred or violence, remains within the boundaries of the freedom of expression. Hence, deprivation of liberty applied on the sole ground of having committed such actions is arbitrary.”

Concerning Anti-Terrorism Laws

The gaps viewed in the anti-terrorism laws are the vague and ambiguous definitions of terrorism, and what is stated as “Unlawful restrictions on freedom of expression”. The criminalization of cyber use that does not harm, but rather educates and is peaceful by nature is deemed by the organization as unethical.

References

Authored by Rafid Fatani. “Securing Internet Rights in Saudi Arabia.” Securing Internet Rights in Saudi Arabia | Global Information Society Watch, https://giswatch.org/en/country-report/internet-rights/securing-internet-rights-saudi-arabia. Alfred, Charlotte. “This Study Shows the Popularity of Censorship in the Middle East.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 7 Dec. 2017, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/middle-east- media-survey_n_5479063.  Alqahtani, Saeed. “Cyber Crimes Committed by Social Media Users in Saudi Arabia.” Al Tamimi & Company, Al Tamimi & Company, 6 Dec. 2020, https://www.tamimi.com/law- update-articles/cyber-crimes-committed-by-social-media-users-in-saudi-arabia/.  Citizen Lab. "The Censorship Ecosystem in Saudi Arabia." Citizen Lab, 2019, https://citizenlab.ca/2019/05/the-censorship-ecosystem-in-saudi-arabia/. “Censorship Effects on Society.” World Wide Women, https://sites.psu.edu/worldwidewomen/censorship-effects-on-society/. “How Free Expression Is Suppressed in Saudi Arabia.” The Economist, The Economist Newspaper, 26 July 2018, https://www.economist.com/open-future/2018/07/26/how-free- expression-is-suppressed-in-saudi-arabia.  “Saudi Arabia: Freedom on the Net 2021 Country Report.” Freedom House, https://freedomhouse.org/country/saudi-arabia/freedom-net/2021. “Saudi Arabia: Repression in the Name of Security.” Amnesty International, 10 Aug. 2021, https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde23/016/2011/en/.  Ward, David V. Philosophical Issues in Censorship and Intellectual Freedom. Graduate School of Library and Information Science. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Internet in the Mideast and North Africa - Country Profiles-Saudi Arabia, https://www.hrw.org/legacy/advocacy/internet/mena/saudi.htm.