Faiza Rizvi Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Following the government's recent threat to ban popular Internet communications applications such as Skype, WhatsApp and Viber, residents in the Kingdom have voiced shock and anger in response. These online services are likely to be blocked by the government unless concerned authorities are allowed to monitor users' conversations. While many claim this threat is uncalled for, some feel banning these applications would harshly affect their professional and personal lives. “My life will end without Skype,” said Muhammad Saleem, a Saudi who runs a textile business in Riyadh and uses video conferencing on Skype to coordinate with his distributors in Qatar and Oman daily. He explained that it is not just an application for him, but rather an indispensable part of his work and, if banned, his business might come to an end. Naeem Ahmad, a Pakistani worker, uses Skype to talk to his wife and children back home. “For expatriates like us, who don't earn a lot, Skype is the best option since it's free of cost and offers excellent voice and image quality,” he said. Saudis living abroad have also voiced their concerns on the issue through popular social networking websites. “With this move, Saudi Arabia is moving a hundred steps backwards in evolving as a country,” said a female Saudi student who is currently pursuing a master's abroad and wished to remain anonymous. “Why should we suffer because of some problem creators? Instead of imposing such bans, the government should invest more in spreading awareness about crimes committed under that platform.” However, amid concerns, the question that arises is how far government can control access to these applications if a ban takes effect. Although Oman and Kuwait have blocked Skype, residents have found ways to easily get around the bans through various computer tricks, including tampering with their IP address, which is a unique code that identifies each computer connected to the Internet. “People can always play with their IP address, using software that can be easily downloaded from the Internet free of cost,” said Azza Al-Ghamdi, IT lecturer at Dar Al-Hekma College. She explained that if the government really wants to monitor the data exchanged between users, it can be saved in a server associated with either the service provider or the government from where authorities can track and retrieve information. Opposing the ban, Al-Ghamdi termed it as an “immature act” since mobile communication applications have become a necessity in people's lives. “The government has to take such steps because sadly few groups are using it for political purposes or carrying out acts that can be unethical and may threaten social and political stability,” she said. In a country where 60 percent of the population is younger than 30, banning these services would definitely cause a stir since young people heavily rely on these messaging applications for communication.
