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Saudi calls to boycott TikTok mount as platform denies discrimination

This year, TikTok reported having 26 million active users in Saudi Arabia, positioning it as the second most popular social platform after YouTube. (AFP/File)
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Updated 03 December 2023
Arab News
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Saudi calls to boycott TikTok mount as platform denies discrimination

  • Campaign follows reports of alleged censorship of Saudi content
  • Google Trends shows 25% decline for TikTok since last month
  • Short-form video giant labels boycott campaign a ‘smear act’
Updated 03 December 2023
Arab News

LONDON: Calls to boycott TikTok in Saudi Arabia have intensified since the launch of a campaign accusing the video platform of unjustly censoring and banning Saudi accounts expressing positive views about the Kingdom.

The momentum behind the boycott has grown as concerns over TikTok’s alleged algorithm manipulation and biased treatment continue to provoke outrage among the platform’s Saudi user base.

Many users have turned to alternative social platforms to denounce TikTok’s alleged restricting of pro-Saudi content, with the trending hashtag #BoycottTiktok accompanied by posts urging Saudis to delete the app.

One X user, @ayedarini, urged others to boycott the app, claiming the platform is engaging in a “war against us.”

The user added: “It has become clear that it is targeting Saudi accounts and promoting everything against them and their country. Boycotting it has become a duty for every Saudi.”

 

A recent post by @X_Tiktok_, a dedicated profile advocating for the platform’s ban in the Kingdom, expressed strong disapproval of TikTok’s “unacceptable” and “abusive” behavior, pledging to persist in its campaign against the platform.

“TikTok still continues its malicious bias with its violating policies on Saudi users’ posts, especially national clips,” the post said. “Saudi Arabia remains a red line and the Saudi people remain strong and strict in their defense of their country, religion and leadership.”

 

Influential social media personalities and celebrities have lent their support to the campaign, leveraging their substantial followings to amplify the message and motivate others to join the boycott. The Saudi private sector has also responded to the boycott’s impact.

Citing a source close to the Saudi First Division League earlier in November, Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported that the the second tier of professional football in Saudi Arabia had cut off its relationship with TikTok due to the platform’s alleged actions against Saudi content.

Popular social media news channel The Saudi Post announced on Thursday the cessation of its publications and the closure of all its accounts on the platform.

TikTok issued a statement on Wednesday, denying allegations of restricting Saudi content and dismissing the campaign as a “coordinated action.”

The app said in a statement: “The rumors regarding TikTok removing content related to Saudi Arabia are not true. We strongly reject these allegations that are inconsistent with our policies and values.

“We strongly reject the deliberate smear campaigns that are practiced on our employees and partners and threaten their security and safety.”

 

Political analyst and media personality Salman Al-Ansari commented on the boycott, saying that the platform’s statement lacked any “commitment to corrective measures,” which would only escalate the campaign.

This year, TikTok reported having 26 million active users in Saudi Arabia, positioning it as the second most popular social platform after YouTube.

Data indicates that the boycott has resulted in a decline in the number of Saudi TikTok users. According to Google Trends, the popularity of the term “TikTok” has decreased by 25 percent since the campaign began.

In an effort to rebuild trust, TikTok launched a dedicated hashtag page for Saudi content on its platform.

Despite these measures, the boycott is gaining momentum, transforming into a symbol of public discontent and a defense of Saudi Arabia.

The campaign’s uncertain impact on TikTok’s user base and the platform’s reputation highlights the growing power of collective action by social media users, an area in which TikTok has faced scrutiny.

In the last few years, TikTok and parent company ByteDance have faced intense criticism for handling sensitive user data, leading to calls for a ban in the US.

In November, congress members, activists and tech investors renewed demands for a TikTok ban, alleging bias in content related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Nepal last month announced a full ban of TikTok in the country, saying that the Chinese-owned video-sharing platform was “detrimental to social harmony.”

Topics: TikTok Saudi Arabia Boycott

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BBC investigation finds half of water facilities in Gaza have collapsed

Updated 09 May 2024
Arab News
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BBC investigation finds half of water facilities in Gaza have collapsed

  • Over half of desalination plants and borehole systems have been damaged or destroyed
  • Damage to wastewater treatment plants has caused a surge of waterborne illnesses
Updated 09 May 2024
Arab News

LONDON: A BBC investigation has revealed that half of Gaza’s water and sanitation facilities have collapsed since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

Satellite footage from BBC Verify showed just over half of the 603 desalination plants and borehole systems used to supply water to Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, along with four of the six wastewater treatment plants.

According to an aid agency cited by the BBC, the remaining two treatment plants have shut down due to lack of fuel or supplies. Repair efforts have been severely disrupted by damage to a major depot.

The collapse of facilities has led to a surge in waterborne illnesses, posing serious health risks to the population and particularly to children and pregnant women.

The number of cases of diarrheal disease, hepatitis A, and in some cases, cholera, have all spiked dramatically.

Dr. Natalie Roberts, executive director of Medecins Sans Frontieres UK, said the destruction of water and sanitation facilities had resulted in “disastrous health consequences for the population,” leading to fatalities.

She highlighted Rafah and the southern border region as particularly affected areas.

The BBC said as the exact condition of each facility could not be determined, there was no distinction between classifying them as “destroyed” or “damaged”. 

It also acknowledged that not all damage was visible from the satellite images — mostly in northern Gaza or the area around the southern city of Khan Younis — so some affected facilities could have been missed.

The situation has been exacerbated by damage to Gaza’s Coastal Municipalities Water Utility and the main service depot of UNICEF, making repairs challenging.

Human rights experts argue facilities critical to civilian survival should be protected.

Leila Sadat, a former special advisor on crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court, suggested the pattern of destruction indicated either a “reckless approach” to civilian infrastructure or intentional targeting.

She added it was possible that “these were not all mistakes.”

In response to BBC’s findings, the Israel Defense Forces said Hamas used civilian infrastructure for military purposes, storing weapons and ammunition.

It maintains water facilities were primarily struck during airstrikes targeting Hamas fighters and denies intentionally targeting civilian infrastructure.

Topics: War on Gaza BBC Israel water

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Turkiye’s competition board to fine Meta $37.2 million in data-sharing probe

Updated 09 May 2024
Reuters
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Turkiye’s competition board to fine Meta $37.2 million in data-sharing probe

  • The board launched an investigation into Meta in December over a possible violation of competition law
  • Last month Meta said it would temporary shut down Threads to comply with interim measure
Updated 09 May 2024
Reuters

ISTANBUL: Turkey’s competition board fined Meta Platforms 1.2 billion lira ($37.20 million) on Wednesday after concluding two separate investigations on data-sharing in its Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads platforms.

The board launched an investigation into Meta in December over a possible violation of competition law by linking its social media platforms Threads and Instagram. The board in March imposed an interim measure on Meta meant to hinder data sharing between those two platforms.

Meta said last month it would temporarily shut down Threads in Turkey to comply with the interim order.

The board said on Wednesday it imposed a fine of 898 million lira for the compliance process and the investigations launched into Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, as well as an additional 336 million lira fine for a separate investigation into Threads.

Users will be able to merge personal data between Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp with their own consent and will be notified about data usage, according to the board decision. Users will be able to change their settings later, if needed, using an “accounts centre” on the platforms, it said.

In January, the board also fined Meta $160,000 per day for failing to provide sufficient documentation as part of another previous investigation. It had also imposed a daily fine of 4.8 million lira per day in March over a notification message about data-sharing.

Both those penalties ended May 3.

In 2022, the board also decided to fine Meta 346.72 million lira for violating competition law.

Topics: Meta Turkiye

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Jordan media authority files complaint against Al-Yarmouk channel for ‘broadcasting without license’

Updated 09 May 2024
Arab News
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Jordan media authority files complaint against Al-Yarmouk channel for ‘broadcasting without license’

  • Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated network closed in past over licensing
  • Al-Yarmouk TV had claimed initial approval, waiting for final decision
Updated 09 May 2024
Arab News

LONDON: Jordan’s media authority has filed a complaint against Al-Yarmouk Satellite Channel, accusing it of breaching broadcasting regulations, the Jordan News Agency reported on Tuesday.

The Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated network was closed down and referred to public prosecutors on charges of unauthorized activity and broadcasting from Jordan without obtaining government approval.

“The Jordan Media Commission (JMC) had filed several complaints in the past in this regard, a number of which included a general pardon law, while the latest decision was issued by the highest judicial body in the Kingdom (Court of Cassation) and by written order,” the JMC’s Director-General Bashir Momani said in a statement.

Sources close to the channel’s staff reported that security agencies raided the offices, seizing broadcasting equipment and preventing employees from entering. The channel employs 25 people.

Momani explained that the decision was taken in accordance with the country’s Audiovisual Media Law, adding that the broadcasting equipment confiscated would be used as evidence in the case.

This is not the first time Jordan’s authorities have closed the channel for broadcasting without a permit.

Launched in 2013, the channel faced a similar shutdown two years later. Al-Yarmouk then worked with local companies and studios to produce and record its programs before transmitting them via satellite.

In 2016, the Jordan Visual and Audio Authority issued a circular to production and distribution companies in the country, prohibiting “unlicensed” channels from transmitting via third parties without legal approval.

At that time, the commission did not clarify the reasons for not licensing the channel but denied that the decision was politically motivated.

The channel’s then-director, Khader Al-Mashaykh, later claimed that the network received initial approval but that the application was stalled while waiting for approval from Jordan’s prime minister.

He added that authorities informed him Al-Yarmouk TV could continue operations while awaiting a final response.

Momani suggested that the decision was not specifically targeted at the channel, emphasizing that the JMC would apply the law to any parties found in violation.

Topics: Jordan Al-Yarmouk TV Jordan Media Commission

Undercover operation nets arrests as US prosecutor blames Meta for online predators

Updated 09 May 2024
AP
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Undercover operation nets arrests as US prosecutor blames Meta for online predators

  • New Mexico's attorney general suggested that Meta executives were putting company profits above the interests of parents and children
  • Lawsuit says uncovered internal documents show Meta employees estimating about 100,000 children every day are subjected to sexual harassment on the company platforms
Updated 09 May 2024
AP

ALBUQUERQUE, US: New Mexico state’s top prosecutor announced charges Wednesday against three men who are accused of using Meta’s social media platforms to target and solicit sex with underage children.

The arrests are the result of a monthslong undercover operation in which the suspects connected with decoy accounts that were set up by the state Department of Justice. The investigation began in December around the time the state filed a civil lawsuit against the social media giant, claiming Meta was failing to take basic precautionary measures to ensure children were safe on its platforms.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez said during a news conference Wednesday that the suspects communicated and exchanged explicit sexual content through Facebook’s messenger app and were clear in expressing a sexual interest in children.
“It’s extraordinarily concerning to us just how easily these individuals found the undercover personas that were created,” Torrez said. “And it is, frankly, I think a wakeup call for all of us to understand just how serious these kinds of threats are.”
He placed blame on Meta executives, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and suggested that the company was putting profits above the interests of parents and children.
“For those of us who are engaged in this work, we are simply tired of the rhetoric,” he said. “We are tired of the assurances that have been given to members of our communities, to members of Congress, to policymakers that all reasonable steps have been taken to ensure that this type of behavior doesn’t occur.”
Meta disputed the allegations and reiterated Wednesday that it uses technology to prevent suspicious adults from finding or interacting with children and teens on its apps and that it works with law enforcement in investigating and prosecuting offenders.
The company also said it has hired child safety experts, reports content to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and shares information and tools with others to help root out predators.
“This is an ongoing fight, where determined criminals evolve their tactics across platforms to try and evade protections,” Meta said in an emailed statement.
While the state attorney general’s office will continue working to identify predators who are targeting children, Torrez said it’s too early to say whether that work will have a bearing on the civil litigation.
As part of that lawsuit, New Mexico prosecutors say they have uncovered internal documents in which Meta employees estimate about 100,000 children every day are subjected to sexual harassment on the company’s platforms.
The three defendants in the criminal case were identified as Fernando Clyde, Marlon Kellywood and Christopher Reynolds. Prosecutors are seeking to detain them pending trial on charges that include child solicitation by an electronic communication device.
Hearings have yet to be scheduled, and court records did not list attorneys who could speak on behalf of Clyde and Kellywood. A message was left with the public defender’s office, which is representing Reynolds.

Topics: Meta Raúl Torrez New Mexico

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SRMG launches the second edition of the Saudi Young Lions Competition

Updated 08 May 2024
Arab News
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SRMG launches the second edition of the Saudi Young Lions Competition

  • Registration is open until May 13
  • Winners will compete in the prestigious Global Young Lions competition in France in June
Updated 08 May 2024
Arab News

RIYADH: The Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG), which publishes Arab News, today launched the second edition of the Saudi Young Lions design competition.

The competition provides young and up-and-coming creators from Saudi Arabia a platform to showcase their creativity and ingenuity. It also represents a key aspect of SRMG’s transformation and growth strategy to champion the next generation of local creators and innovators.

Registration for the Saudi Young Lions competition is now open. To participate, graphic designers, illustrators and creatives aged 30 or under and currently working in Saudi Arabia’s marketing and advertising industry must register by 13 May 2024 in a team of two. The brief will be live on 16 May 2024 and registered participants will be given 48 hours to answer a creative brief. Entrants will be judged by a jury of leaders from renowned global advertising agencies in the region. Registration can be done via this website: www.srmg.com/young-lions 

The winners of the Saudi Young Lions will advance to compete in the prestigious Global Young Lions competition against top creative teams from around the world in Cannes, France in June. This will also provide the winning team an opportunity to network with the brightest minds in the global media industry, learn from the leading global creative directors, and attend inspiring talks and workshops.

This announcement builds on SRMG’s partnership with the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. In 2023, SRMG became the official representative of Cannes Lions in Saudi Arabia. As part of this partnership, SRMG launched the first Saudi Young Lions competition and facilitated Saudi representation at the Cannes’ Creative Academy.

Topics: SRMG Cannes Lions

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