Saudi Arabia has become a monarchy of fear since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) took office, where everyone is unsafe.
Well-informed sources revealed that the State Security Agency launched a large-scale arrest campaign against social media influencers who were kept in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel for refusing to boost MBS' image.
According to the sources, MBS has himself investigated the detainees and threatened to arrest them along with their families if they don't publish new videos promoting his 2030 Vision.
The Saudi authorities took advantage of the Snapchat application, which has 20 million users in the country, to promote MBS's image and prevent any criticism.
As part of its repression policy, the Saudi regime earlier issued an explicit warning that it is a criminal offense to “insult” authorities using social media apps such as Snapchat.
“Any insult to the regime is considered a criminal offense,” the Saudi authorities warned in a press release, without giving further details.
Snapchat's ties to the kingdom date back to 2018, when Saudi financier Prince Alwaleed bin Talal invested $250 million in the company, a 2.3% stake.
Calling for political prisoners' release, improving their detention conditions, ensuring a fair trial, criticising unemployment rates, calling for a constitutional monarchy, and defending women’s rights are all considered taboo topics by Saudi authorities.
Danah Almayouf, a Saudi artist who lives in the US and has been a vocal critic of the kingdom’s government, has had her Snapchat account suspended numerous times without explanation.
In 2019, Almayouf was contacted by a Saudi national, Ibrahim Alhussayen, who tried to lure her into a meeting, promising to help her in litigation she was involved in. Alhussayen was later arrested and convicted for lying to the FBI about using anonymous social media accounts to harass US- and Canada-based Saudi dissidents.
Almayouf said she reached out to Snapchat to ask about her account, but never heard back. The company declined to comment.
Even as some critical Saudis have been flummoxed by the handling of their accounts, Snapchat has continued to give a platform to a Saudi FBI fugitive named Ahmed Aljbreen, who evaded arrest after being charged for his alleged involvement in a Saudi plot to infiltrate Twitter.
Fearing any expected coup, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has kicked the Saudi spy apparatus into overdrive.
His primary targets include opposition journalists and dissident activists living abroad, and members of the royal family.
Security sources have revealed that a Tel Aviv-based company offered Saudi Arabia a system that hacks mobile phones belonging to some members of the royal family.
Saudi Arabia has bought $300 million worth of spy software from Israel as part of a large scale military deal, the sources added.
The Israeli company, Quadream, had sold cyber-espionage tech to Saudi Arabia, enabling the kingdom to track down political dissidents and members of the royal family and tap their communications.
The company uses a front in Cyprus to sell its Reign spyware, which apparently extracts data from iPhones, remotely controls the camera, and eavesdrops and tracks the locations of the device users without their knowledge.
Such sensitive technology can be exported under the supervision of Israeli military experts.
