Twitter campaign against checking of cell phones is successful
Saudi Gazette report
JEDDAH – Female students of science and education colleges at King Khalid University in Abha have launched a Twitter campaign to end what they call discrimination against them as the authorities check their smart phones every morning and have to wait long time in queues at the gate under the sun until their phones are inspected by security guards.
The inspection was to make sure students don’t bring any camera-installed cell phones and carry only ordinary phones. The students said the daily morning checking delayed their attendance in lectures and they could not make use of the break between lectures, which sometimes last for three hours. They also cited that some colleges were allowing camera-phones to classrooms.
“We seek equal treatment from authorities,” said leaders of the campaign which was launched last Tuesday. “Our campaign had good results as there were no inspections on Wednesday and Thursday and we were able to enter lecture halls directly without any inspection,” said one campaigner while speaking to Al-Madina Arabic daily.
The campaigners wanted to stop the inspections once and for all without resuming it at a later stage after cooling down the anger of students. However, they urged university authorities to impose deterrent punishment on students who misuse their phones.
The university did not make any official comment on the campaign. But the Security and IT Department issued a text message saying violating privacy of others by taking photos by mobile phones or publishing material that undermines national security or causes sedition would be considered a crime and violators will be punished in accordance with the law.
The campaigners as well as those commenting on the Twitter hashtag wondered about the content of the department’s message and its timing.
Al-Madina Arabic daily tried to reach Dr. Haleema Al-Saeedi, dean of the College of Science but did not get any response. Dr. Mohammed Al-Baheri, spokesman of the university, also refused to respond to questions related to the campaign.
The crisis started after female students complaining about daily inspection of their cell phones by university authorities. There are five security guards for inspections but one of them has the device to check phones while others do checking by hand.
The students then gave petitions to the deans of science and education colleges requesting them to allow the use of cell phones with cameras, citing that it is allowed in most Saudi universities as well as at King Khalid University’s Medical College in Samir District.
The students pledged that they would not violate the university’s rules and would not misuse their phones. But the deans did not give them any positive reply. The denial of their rights and discrimination forced the students to launch the social media campaign, which was successful.
