Saudi Arabia defriends Facebook . . .
. . . and then refriended it again. Saudi Arabia’s communications authority unblocked Facebook on Saturday after shutting down the popular social networking website for a few hours. An official with Saudi’s Communications and Information Technology Commission said the kingdom blocked the site briefly Saturday because the content had “crossed a line” with the country’s conservative values.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak to the media, later said the communications authority lifted the ban. The reason the commission reversed its decision hours later was not immediately clear.
Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islam and religious leaders have strong influence over policy making and social norms, virtues and values. Pakistan and Bangladesh both imposed temporary bans on Facebook this year.
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Holte Ender
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Whether you’re a Saudi Prince in charge of the ministry of information or a republican prick legislating morality, you’re eventually going to lose. People will not tolerate oppression forever, especially moderns with some exposure to the wide world.
The interesting thing about this is that Facebook really doesn’t post its own content–it’s merely a platform for users to post content of their own. This means that any lines crossed within Facebook most likely would have been crossed in other venues had the platform not been available–I wonder if the controversy for Saudi’s government was whether Facebook was willing to censor user content?
Good point GL…
Hell, I cross a line every single day when I stretch over to wake my narrow ass up in the morning. I am surprised they even allow it there in the first place to tell you the truth, with the vice and morals police being oh so important voices over there.
I’m sorry, Jess. I don’t know exactly why, but you have just crossed the line. Look out! There is one over there, too.
It’s maybe because I am female and I haven’t put the net covering properly over my eyes isn’t it? I’ll be more careful next time.
Crossing the line? I suspect that is a very easy thing to do in Saudi Arabia. People there do it all the time without even trying. “Oh, shit, was there a line there? Did I just cross it? Fuck, I did didn’t, I?”
I crossed two lines before I had my morning coffee, shit make that three.
It doesn’t help the Saudi people when the line keeps getting moved.
Maybe that’s the problem.. They live in a desert. It’s too easy to draw lines in the sand.
Just remember that parallel lines, even when extended to infinity will never meet.