RIYADH: The Ministry of Culture and Information is using Facebook to boost awareness of a new, amended regulation for electronic publications and collect comments about it, Dr. Abdul Aziz Khoja, Minister of Culture and Information, said in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency. The guidelines, which address activities subject to the publications and publication regulation, have been posted on a Facebook page, Electronic Publications Regulation, so people can read them and share comments. Among the most important matters that have been amended are those specifying activities that require licensing, requirements for those interested in getting a license and conditions for appointing editors-in-chief of electronic newspapers, Khoja said. The objective behind issuing the regulation is to organize these types of publications and specify a regulatory authority or reference for dealing with them within the sphere of responsible freedom, Khoja said. When the regulation was first announced on Jan. 1, it was displayed on the ministry's website so people could read it and share opinions and suggestions, he added. Since then, the ministry has received numerous opinions and suggestions through its website, articles in the press or dialogue with interested parties, Khoja said. Officials have studied the input and taken it into consideration to ensure that the regulation is effective, he added. The moves are part of the ministry's policy and commitment to deal with the public with great transparency in all that concerns information affairs and users of a wide range of media, Khoja said. Khoja said the amendments cover 14 out of the 20 articles in the regulation and one article concerning organizational matters not related to the regulation has been removed. He concluded his statement by thanking all who have contributed and participated in all ways, to include presenting proposals for amending the electronic publication regulation. Khoja said there could be further amendments if the need arises.
