Saudi phone ban may be lifted

Country to discuss the use of mobiles with built-in cameras

Written by Rob Jones

Saudi Arabia is reportedly thinking of lifting its ban on the use of mobile phones with built-in cameras.

The country banned citizens from using such phones in late September, following fears that they were being used to take and distribute inappropriate photographs of women.

But according to CNN, a committee made up of the country's Interior, Telecoms, Trade and Finance ministries has been set up to discuss the selling and importing of hi-tech gadgets.

This could see the return of phones with built-in cameras to Saudi shops.

Although their use is banned, there is currently a healthy black market in the handsets, with people buying them in neighbouring countries and reselling them for huge profits in Saudi Arabia.

Just recently a teacher caught female students using a camera phone to take pictures of classmates. The phone was confiscated and the students signed a pledge agreeing not to repeat their hi-tech actions.

Tags:

Further reading

Saudi government bans camera phones

Handsets apparently being used to take pictures of women   More...

Related articles

Saudis build $10bn IT research centre

New university part of plans for the information economy   More...

Intel buries hatchet with OLPC

Rivals decide to join forces rather than fight over who gets to save the developing world   More...

Teachers call for closure of YouTube

We don't need no bullying videos   More...

China lifts ban on English Wikipedia

Just don't try searching for Tibet   More...

Do you agree?

Advertisement

Job of the week

Search thousands of IT jobs :

Search thousands of IT jobs:

Advanced search

Hiring now on ComputingCareers:

Related IT jobs

Search thousands of IT jobs :

Search thousands of IT jobs:

Advanced search

Advertisement

Watch

08 Jul 2008

3.67 MBSafe browsing, voice recognition and cyber-criminals More...

07 Jul 2008

2.76 MBLaptops on holiday, gaming in Vietnam and 'unbreakable' encryption More...

04 Jul 2008

5.51 MBPodcast Special: Views from the Valley More...

Poll

EUROPEAN E-COMMERCE

EUROPEAN E-COMMERCE

Are you happy making an online purchase from another European country?

Previous poll results

Newsletter signup

Sign up for our range of FREE newsletters:

Existing User

Newsletter user login:

Enter email address to edit your newsletter preferences

Spotlight

Firefox

Firefox users shown to be safer

Internet Explorer users the worst of the bunch   More...

Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers

Icann downplays recent site hacks

Redirects were 'limited', says organisation   More...

Advertisement

DNA

Boffins build artificial DNA

Could be used in the ultimate computer   More...

Microsoft

Microsoft outlines appeal against EU fine

Two sides back in court   More...

Advertisement