Saudi cleric slams ‘seditious’ social media
Imam cautions against virtual sittings that spread lies, incite immorality
Cairo: A prominent Saudi cleric has warned of some social networking websites, accusing them of spreading sedition, intolerance and violation of privacy.
“Virtual sittings have sprung up on the social media, some of which have exceeded limits and wielded enormous influence on people,” said imam and preacher of the Prophet Mosque Abdulbari bin Awwad in a Friday sermon.
“Networking websites feature good sittings that enrich the mind, feed the soul and nurture knowledge while other [online] wittings shake faith, weaken beliefs, violate privacy, wreck morals, and taint virtue,” he was quoted by Okaz newspaper as saying.
The cleric also accused those websites of spreading “malicious” rumours, lies, agitating instability, promoting debauchery and progandising depravities.
In 2007, the Saudi government approved an anti-cybercrime law incorporating jail and financial penalties.