Pinoys in Saudi Reminded vs. Inappropriate Posts on Social Media
Filipinos in Saudi Arabia were reminded over the weekend to be responsible in using social media sites while they are in the Kingdom.
The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh issued the reminder Sunday after receiving reports of infringements by Filipinos in the use of social media.
“Filipinos in the Kingdom must exercise prudence and discretion in their use of various social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter,” it said.
“Inappropriate posts or photographs on social media, intentional or not, may result in a police investigation that may further lead to legal or judicial action against the account owner,” it added.
The embassy said its attention had been called in the past due to social media “infringements” such as:
- pictures depicting use of alcohol and gambling
- slanderous statements against co-workers or superiors
- pictures depicting illicit relations
- posting of lewd or sensitive photos
- possession of pornographic photos and videos
The embassy also reminded Filipinos in the Kingdom against engaging in debates “aimed at criticizing religion or political institutions.”
“As guests of the Kingdom, Filipinos are reminded to respect the culture, traditions and religious beliefs of Saudi Arabia and fellow expatriate communities, and avoid criticism of them in public or on social media,” it said.
As of December 2012, there are a total of 1,267,658 Filipinos in Saudi Arabia according to the Commission on Filipinos Overseas.