The Digital Curtain: Censorship and Manipulation in Saudi Arabia's Smart Cities

In November 2023, the General Board of Media Regulation in Saudi Arabia introduced the proposed media laws aimed at overhauling the existing legal framework to better regulate various forms of media, including audiovisual content, press publications, and other forms of media.

However, the presentation of this plan suggests additional motives, as the draft media law extends its reach beyond traditional media to encompass electronic communication platforms such as websites and social networks, along with their active users, particularly those who express their opinions openly on these platforms.

This action signals the Saudi government's intent to legitimize efforts aimed at suppressing social network users, entrusting the monitoring of these activities to the media regulation board.

Article 2 of the proposed media laws explicitly encompasses all individuals engaged in media activities, as well as those involved in similar pursuits on digital content platforms, along with their respective users within Saudi Arabia.

The plan additionally mandates that all media, including digital platforms, acquire authorization from the authorities prior to engaging in any media-related activity, such as content creation, publishing, or broadcasting.

In response to this provision, Axis Nav highlighted, "Issuing a license not only establishes a system of censorship but also contradicts human rights-based standards concerning media regulation." In 2011, the UN Human Rights Committee recommended that "monitoring systems should recognize distinctions between print, broadcast, and online media."

Hence, mandating media activists across all domains to acquire licenses effectively constrains their activities. However, such limitations should not extend to online platforms and social media, where freedom of expression is paramount.

While Article 11 of the draft Saudi media law ostensibly guarantees the right to freedom of expression, it paradoxically imposes stringent restrictions on various forms of expression and content publication. Notably, these restrictions extend to news concerning the royal family and Saudi officials, purportedly justified by the potential threat to Saudi Arabia's national security posed by such publications.

The article stipulates: "Freedom of expression and opinion across various media must align with the prevailing laws and regulations in Saudi Arabia," a clause diverging from international norms.

Furthermore, in its thirteenth article, the plan underscores the inviolability of the "crown" position and cautions "allies" of the nation against any form of aggression towards it. Evidently, this warning aims to deter any critique of Mohammed bin Salman's policies, particularly those concerning the official normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

This issue becomes apparent with a clause in the draft plan that prohibits the discussion of foreign affairs, effectively forbidding the dissemination of news and expression of opinions on significant matters pertaining to foreign policy in domestic and local news outlets.

Smart Cities and Preemptive Suppression:

Saudi Arabia's initiatives to intensify surveillance on its citizens extend beyond legislative measures and commentary on foreign affairs, encompassing responses to domestic criticism as well. The envisioned "smart cities," purportedly set for completion by 2030 and spearheaded by the Neom project, serve as integral instruments for implementing the policy of "preemptive repression" within the kingdom.

Specifically, residency in these cities mandates the provision of personal information and entails continuous monitoring of movements, including transitions between cities or locations, facilitated by cutting-edge technologies such as sensors, the Internet of Things, biometric surveillance, artificial intelligence, and more.

"Smart cities" are fundamentally built upon the extensive collection and analysis of individuals' data, typically conducted without their awareness or consent. Each new piece of information about an individual is integrated into their "digital identity."

Numerous civil society organizations oppose "digital identity" programs, viewing them as initiatives fraught with significant human rights risks and concerns. These organizations challenge the purported benefits of such identities and question the means to safeguard this information and prevent its manipulation. Furthermore, they scrutinize the true intentions of governments behind the collection of such data.

Numerous human rights organizations, while condemning the absence of freedom of speech in Saudi Arabia, highlight the pervasive censorship faced by users of virtual networks within the country. Saudi authorities systematically block websites or delete their content. Additionally, these organizations confirm that Saudi authorities frequently manipulate online data and information to portray a favorable image of the government and its policies.