Social media users in Bahrain will soon be guided by tougher new measures

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Social media offers people the ability to form online communities and serves as a tool to exercise fundamental rights and freedoms, such as expressing opinions and sharing ideas. However, these platforms also increase the frequency and scope of cyberattacks, cybercrime and violations of privacy.

People’s reputation is unfairly attacked and tarnished due to reckless comment made by others on Facebook, Twitter or other social media channels.

Governments around the world have responded by regulating social media user practices through various legal instruments, such as cybercrime laws. The Kingdom of Bahrain has also made some progress in curbing misuse of social medial to make users more responsible and accountable.

In fact, soon, social media users in the Kingdom will be guided by tougher new measures to prevent them from insulting others and safeguard them as well from being abused online. Over the next five months, the Parliament is looking to come up with a unified law that aims to develop new controls to help reduce misuse of this social media platform.

Addressing a press conference on new social media rules, Representatives Council’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee chairman Mohammed Al Sissi has revealed that three proposed legislations – two from MPs and another from the Interior Ministry – would be merged to form a new comprehensive law that would guarantee safe use of social media, freedom of expression and privacy.

This law is primarily aimed at protecting individuals from any attempts to damage their reputation. One of the proposals made by MPs is to punish a social media user guilty of insulting others with a hefty BD20,000 fine and a maximum three-year prison term as part of the amendments proposed to the Cybercrimes Law, passed in 2014.

Essential part of an expat’s life

Social media is tremendously popular especially amongst expatriates because it has been playing an important role in their lives, particularly in keeping themselves stayed connected with their loved ones back home or from other corners of the world, as well as maintaining and making new social connections. Over the past few years, the power of social media – used by three billion people, around 40% of the world’s population – has increased rapidly. Fully changing the manner in which we communicate, it is no surprise that expats are utilising it to its fullest.

From Facebook to Twitter, Instagram, finding the most popular social networking media can only ease the difficulties that expats are experiencing: loneliness, homesickness and boredom. Social media can be great, but there are of course dangers that one should watch out for.

For instance, while the purpose of social media networking is to keep followers updated on one’s life, it is better not to share overly personal or private information. It’s not the place to air one’s dirty laundry or discuss bathroom habits.

Social media is addictive. As with food, gambling and many other temptations of the modern age, excessive use of social media for some expatriates is probably inadvisable. But at the same time, it would be wrong to say social media is a universally bad thing, because clearly it brings myriad benefits to expats’ lives.