Emojis aren’t just a trend among millennials. Consider them to be more akin to a relatively basic language. Emojis are lighthearted and fun. They represent a wide range of emotions in a manner that words can’t always. But could they land you in jail? Local media reports, sending ‘red heart’ emojis on WhatsApp might land users in jail in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
If the sender proves to be guilty, he or she faces a sentence of two to five years in prison. They also face a fine of 100,000 Saudi riyals
Harassment
A Saudi cybercrime specialist disclosed it in the Arabic daily Okaz. The expert stated that texting red hearts on WhatsApp was “harassment” in Saudi Arabia.
Al Moataz Kutbi is a member of the Saudi Arabian Anti-Fraud Association. According to him, “certain images and expressions during online conversations may turn into a harassment crime if a lawsuit is filed by the aggrieved party”, reports Gulf News.
He cautioned people against conversing with strangers without their permission. Also, claiming that the “use of explicit expressions or red heart emojis” could decode as a sexual intent gesture.
“According to the anti-harassment system, harassment is defined as every statement, act, or gesture with a sexual connotation made by a person towards any other that touches his/her body or honor or infringes his/her modesty by any means, including modern technology. This includes (emojis) associated with the sexual connotations according to the custom of society, such as red hearts and red roses,” Kutbi said.
A charge of 300,000 Saudi Riyals and also five years of prison could impose if the offense happens again.
This isn’t the first time Saudi Arabia has made such an announcement. In November of last year, reports were that removing someone from a WhatsApp group in Saudi Arabia may result in an arrest and a fine of 500,000 Saudi riyals.