600,000 porn websites blocked in two years

Saudi Arabia: Face over Rs 5.35 crore fines (over 3 million Saudi Riyals) and/or a 5-year jail term if you are caught peddling smut in Saudi Arabia. Yes, this harsh punishment is implemented if you are caught sharing, promoting, selling or possessing pornographic material in the Arab country.  

The Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) in Saudi Arabia has managed to block over 600,000 porn websites in the last two years and has warned that the person caught with smut pedaling will be punished severely.

Arab News reported CITC spokesperson Faiyz Al-Otaibi stating that the commission has a panel of experts that can find and block porn websites since setting up such websites contravenes the country’s cyber laws. The CITC receives information from both public and private bodies about how pornography affects public morality. The Shoura Council member Nora Bint Abdulla Bin Idwan also stated that dealing with the internet has now become a daily responsibility and their main aim is to protect children and teenagers. She also said that results of many studies have shown dangers of children accessing porn websites. She also mentions that international studies and surveys have revealed around 80 per cent of young people between the age of 15 and 17 are accessing porn via the internet.

Further on, she mentions that around 34 per cent of younger people usually receive unwanted pornographic material while browsing the internet. She said that they were aware of the severe risks to the psychological and social makeup of children if they were exposed to porn.

She also said that some countries, internationally, heavily fine porn-based websites and have certain laws put in place to filter such content on search engines.

“There are significant efforts being undertaken by parliaments in the United States and Europe about the serious and grave consequences on children who watch porn. This seriously affects their psychological and physical health and might lead to violent and deviant behavior,” she said, adding that the Kingdom needs to enact very strict laws based on United Nations conventions on the rights of children to protect them from the adverse effects of watching pornographic material.