RIYADH: While many Saudis are unhappy that the kingdom is to block BlackBerry services, a large number support the ban because they say smart phones are negatively influencing the youth, a report said Thursday.
Arab News in a report on its website said an online survey of 331 people found 178 people opposing the ban due to come into effect on Friday, and 153 supporting it.
Those who disagreed with the decision, the report said, complained that no prior notice was given, with some having purchased their BlackBerries a few days ago and are now stuck with a device that will not work.
Nevertheless, 153 people of those in the poll apparently conducted by the newspaper said they support the move as BlackBerries "have had very negative effects on the youth."
Most of those supporting the ban were parents who had been arguing with their children on the issue, Arab News said.
It cited a woman named Um Aisha who said she had confiscated her daughter’s BlackBerry after she became overly attached to it to the point it was affecting her health.
"My daughter collapsed once. When we took her to hospital the doctor said she was suffering from fatigue. After getting her BlackBerry phone, she became so attached to it that she even used to be on it while in bed. She reads every SMS she receives and even replies to them late at night," Um Aisha said.
A university student named only as May too supported the ban.
"Now I can enjoy my time with my friends just like the old days," it quoted her as saying.
"I will now be able to see them properly and even their eyes which are always looking down at their BlackBerries," added May, who refused to buy a BlackBerry.
Saudi’s Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) announced late on Tuesday that it had ordered the kingdom’s three mobile phone providers to block BlackBerry services from Friday for failing to conform to regulations.
If they fail to comply with CITC order, the companies will face a fine of 1.3 million dollars, one company official told AFP on Wednesday.
"We will also comply for security reasons," he added.
"There are big hopes in convincing" BlackBerry maker Research in Motion (RIM) "to provide Saudi Arabia with a local server," he said, adding the three companies met RIM on Wednesday and that more meetings would follow.
Arab News cited another online poll, conducted by the Technology World Blog, as showing 49.4 percent of 3,662 participants in support of the ban, 36.5 opposing it and 14.1 percent saying they do not know what a BlackBerry is.
