The Iranian government has plans to build a national internet featuring an internal search engine and internal messaging apps a potential threat to WhatsApp. How to Unblock and Use Skype in Saudi Arabia? Which apps are not allowed in Saudi Arabia? The Daily VPN However Al-Jaber said that, in his opinion, registering an account on TikTok did not necessarily pose more of a risk than using other social media. In 2014, the free press advocacy group, Reporters Without Borders, described the actions of the government of Saudi Arabia as "relentless in its censorship of the Saudi media and the Internet." Since that time, the Saudi government has taken major steps towards increasing civil rights within the kingdom, reducing restrictive male guardianship laws, and giving women the right to drive. In Saudi Arabia, the investigation found hundreds of women being sold on . They have, however, blocked audiovisual information that is divisive and goes against the government in some ways. Saudi Arabia has no constitution and is ruled by a totalitarian monarchy in which the King exercises legislative, executive, and judicial powers. Women in Saudi Arabia are generally not allowed to travel alone or without an electronic authorization, until they reach the age of 45. Saudi Arabia is an Islamic country and is really concerned about the Islamic and privacy issues.The government of KSA bans some application because of some known reasons. Mobile internet users make up 33.59 million people or 94% of . However, the app was unblocked following various changes from TikTok such as the opening of a government liaison office and implementing security mechanisms. Most of those countries ban WhatsApp for security and political reasons, while others want to promote local telecommunication companies. This site is licensed as Creative Commons Attribution 3.0. @STC_KSA @Mobily @ZainKSA # # #__ #VOIP pic.twitter.com/8obL62NX5F, Mohammad Hafzah (@TycoonJe) September 14, 2017, From now on, this is going to be the home screen of my mobile phone. The people in Saudi Arabia are mostly using social media platforms on the internet. Avoid spending time with people of the opposite sex in public. In September 2017, WhatsApp fell victim. Saudi TikTok users weigh in on potential app ban | Arab News Some of the major mobile apps that are banned in Saudi Arabia are: Read More: How to Unblock WhatsApp Calling in the UAE. The ministry of communications said access to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) would be "widely available to users" from Wednesday. If people are caught in possession of or watching adult content they are instantly penalized. The countrys bitter fact is its score on global freedom! Websites that promote irregularities inconsistency difference and spreads hatred among the Saudi tribes. The network is not restricted! Article 39 of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Basic Law of Governance states that: The media is prohibited from spreading any content that affects the religious values and bolsters its unity. VoIP services, which include voice and video calls made over the internet, were banned in Saudi Arabia in 2013. Which apps are not allowed in Saudi Arabia? By Visal Vadayar. If you want to use the app, you are going to have to find a way to get around the ban. The Saudi Arabian government has cited security concerns as the reason for the ban, as these apps use encryption technology that makes it difficult for authorities to monitor and control communication. The survey sheds light on the internet trends that are prevalent among the Arab worlds younger generations, revealing the dominance of video content among millennials. Monitoring our data by someone is not encouraged, right? SSL dependent VPN is a highly secured and spy free option in the Kingdom. Nowadays, the number of internet users on mobile phones is stunningly increasing. FaceTime is a proprietary videotelephony app developed by Apple Inc. People are using this app to connect with family and friends around the world with audio and video calls. Like many other Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, WhatsApps video and voice calls are banned in Dubai for two main reasons. Well conclude by showing you exactly how to bypass such geo-restrictions. However, if you are a Saudi or a residente then you know that it is an app not available in your country. Global Voices stands out as one of the earliest and strongest examples of how media committed to building community and defending human rights can positively influence how people experience events happening beyond their own communities and national borders. When you use VoIP facilities, your profit on call rates will be stunning, and thats zero charges. Give the reason for unblocking the website. Its one-click connectivity is a notable feature! The growth rate in each aspect shows that people have started using VPNs in Saudi Arabia to access social media and other sites on the internet. Saudi Arabia has suspended Whatsapp's voice and video call services as the app failed to meet the regulatory requirements, Al-Riyadh newspaper reported, citing Abdulaziz Al-Ruwais governor of the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC). Thousands of servers worldwide and great for lifting geographic restrictions. Recifest committed and dedicated writers offer a wealth of knowledge covering a variety of topics, including Business, Technology, Real Estate health, Shopping, Travel, News, and Home-Improvements among other topics. Only five countries in the world have banned WhatsApp in some capacity: China, North Korea, Syria, Qatar and the UAE. It's a sensible policy for the government. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Looking for amazing property options or villas for sale in Abu Dhabi? Users cannot in any case use applications for audio or video calls without the supervision and monitoring of the CITC the regulator's spokesman said in an interview to the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya news channel. Nearly 500 flee Sudan for Saudi Arabia on two ships Some users have learned to bypass the blocks by . Blocking and filtering content is the primary method used for internet censorship in Saudi Arabia. Of the total population of Saudi Arabia, 84.4% of the people are urban-based. At least nine Pakistani pilgrims, including women and children, have died in a car accident in Saudi Arabia. See our Privacy Policy for details. Most Popular Apps in Saudi Arabia 2020 - Brillmindz pic.twitter.com/6Zk6b1TSJd. The VoIP functions of the Telegram and Signal messaging apps are still operational, but the apps themselves suffer from severe connection throttling, rendering them unusable in many cases. Diffuculties are part of our lives, and no change comes easily. 1- PORNOGRAPHIC CONTENT: Saudi Arabia has banned over 60,000 porn websites x-rated website with semi nude content. Video content reigns supreme in the sphere of online media consumption in the Arab world. SPL VPN, with its excellent features, solves throttling issues in no time, increases internet speed, and offers unlimited bandwidth. Cookie Policy. Watching or having adult content in ones mobile phone, tablet or any other such devices is illegal in Saudi Arabia. In fact, Google rules the heart of Saudi Arabia. Then SPL VPN is here with the perfect list. As compared to the previous year, the notable growth rate is 1.5%. Many people in Saudi Arabia, both citizens, and visitors use VPNs every day to access censored or region-locked content. The specific brand of humor on that app is the fastest way to make me laugh. The Saudi capital Riyadh at night. This increase can be linked with the ban on Russian oil. Saudi Arabia - Prohibited and Restricted Imports Saudi bans 47 video games including Grand Theft Auto V, Assassins Creed 2. Youre all aware that WhatsApp Calling helps you save money on international calls. At that time, the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC), which regulates telecommunications in the country, did not specify what these regulations were. Saudi Arabia: Freedom on the Net 2020 Country Report | Freedom House 14 Video Games That Were Banned In Other Countries Trump also weighed in on a potential TikTok ban. Although Saudi Arabia doesn't ban social media sites, it blocks VoIP apps that are integrated with social media services. SPL VPN is a zero-logs VPN service that allows you to access the web anonymously. Unmarried couples are not allowed to live together or stay in the same hotel room. Saudi Arabia blocks websites that challenge the government or monarchy. You have the option of connecting to your preferred server location. Despite pledging to vastly improve Saudi Arabias general connectivity, the Saudi government has implemented strong restrictions on internet-based free speech, censoring tens of thousands of websites and punishing individuals who criticize the Kingdoms leadership. Saudi people make use of a VPN to make calls using apps like WhatsApp, Skype, facetime, etc. . Our Data. Even semi-nude contents are banned in the country including some news websites that show explicit content related to . The Saudi government places severe limitations on Internet freedom. Its a sensible policy for the government. The authorities leverage commercial Internet blocking software product like SmartFilter to automatically check and remove certain disapproved categories of websites and information. Same like blocking you can also unblock a website if you think it is not in the above categories by following step: Enter the URL of the website to be unlocked. The development is a double-edged sword for the European Union. Saudi Arabia and its neighboring allies issued a list of demands to Qatar, including the shutting down of Al Jazeera. You can access everything on the internet. BitOasis is a UAE-based exchange that serves customers across the Middle East and North Africa. He said that banning the app would be 'punishing China for its response to the coronavirus.'. This year there is an increase of 1.7 million users and 20 minutes of daily usage time compared to 2021. @SAIPKSA aims to block 231 websites that violate regulations and rights. Saudi Arabia has announced plans to ban 47 video games following reports that two children killed themselves after being influenced to do so in an online game. For more information please read our Fundraising Ethics Policy. Millennials in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) spend more than three hours a day watching internet videos, far outnumbering time spent on messaging apps and games. Saudi Arabia restricts your right to use VoIP, but a VPN allows you to do so with just a few clicks. WhatsApp privacy changes could turn off Saudi users: Cybersecurity News websites critical of the Saudi government are also banned. 16-VPN websites and applications that allow users to access banned content through a proxy server. Delivers excellent speeds and reaches a high security . The SPL VPN offers access to everything!. Heres how. The only thing close to a restriction so far has been WhatsApp moving the legal age for accessing the app from 13 to 16, in accordance with EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). There are a number of games that are banned in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In the previous year of 2021, freedom on the net was stunningly low at a rate! Saudi Arabia: Freedom on the Net 2021 Country Report | Freedom House Saudi Arabia revives ban on 'un-Islamic' Pokmon in response to app Following a provisional ban in April 2019, Indias Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology banned TikTok permanently in June this year, along with 58 other Chinese apps. Trump also weighed in on a potential TikTok ban. Communication and Information Technology Commission, Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property(SAIP). The 4Sale app allowed you to filter by race, with different price brackets clearly on offer, according to category. Your email address will not be published. As the country continues to evolve and modernise, it remains to be seen whether the bans on these apps will be lifted or whether more apps will be added to the list of banned technologies. Reporting and depicting radical Islam and criticizing high points are restricted in the country. 1. Lip-syncing along with a track, using filters, and adding special effects give users the chance to create short clips that can be shared and downloaded in several social media platforms. Some of these countries, like China and North Korea, also ban the use of VPNs. Surfshark - An affordable VPN with some . From Feb. 8, users of the . Can we continue to communicate with WhatsApp or should we switch to some other channel, just in case? We have a guide on how to unblock WhatsApp and VoIP services in Qatar and other countries. Rania Mohammed, a fourth year medical student at Dar AlUloom University in Riyadh, said that TikTok was the only thing keeping her sane as she struggled with the pressures of school and quarantine.