A new law regulating all Web-based publications including electronic news services, bulletins, websites of newspapers and televisions and alike came into effect yesterday after its bylaws were published in the official gazette. Information Minister Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah said the law is for professional online media in a bid to preserve Kuwaiti traditions and counter extremist ideology.
The minister urged all those running online news services to register on the ministry website to obtain the necessary license to operate in the country. Under the legislation, all these services must obtain a license from the government before they can operate. Those in existence have one year to comply with the law. Violations committed by these services will be looked in court under the press and publications law, which stipulates hefty jail terms for several offenses.
During its debate in the Assembly in January this year, the minister insisted the law is aimed at regulating electronic media and it will not apply to personal accounts, like those of bloggers. Under the law, the owner and director of all online services must be Kuwaiti. Violations can be penalized by jail terms of up to 10 years if these services call for the overthrow of the country’s regime. [Source]
Thankfully I’m not included in this since I run a personal blog. If I did fall under this new regulation it would turn out to be such a complicated mess since I’d have to register the blog as online media outlet and I might not get approval for it. And then even if I did get approval I wouldn’t be able to own the blog because I’m not Kuwaiti. The whole thing doesn’t make sense though, you can’t regulate or control the internet.
29 replies on “Law Regulating Internet Media Comes Into Effect”
I swear these people need to have some trust in foreigners, wtf is wrong with foreigners being treated like Kuwaitis? The good thing about this is that its being used against extremist ideologies. “to preserve Kuwaiti traditions” what does that even mean? Is like we can’t talk about drinking and parties?
Why don’t these morons also try to “regulate” the temperature in kuwait? Like summon clouds from their ass to rain and cool down our lovely town since they can do the impossible like control the internet.
omg,, more control on media,, omg
How would you define a media outlet as being kuwaiti? Just have advertisement money go to a foreign account and pretend you live abroad, and just happen to post about Kuwait.
I guess you would be defined based on where you are residing.
Cant all the other web-based publications also say that they are personal?
or better yet, what makes my blog personal? they might consider it a media site as well.
I think you come as media website ,after all you share news about current affairs at times, you advertise (which is a major role for media), you market your views on products !
So i think yes your portal is a media source !
you just described a blog
What is with the overuse of explanation marks?
Are you trying to incite panic?!!!!!
What i have understood is the Ministry wants to scan and control what ever goes online whether its blog or anything else.
Just check with your lawyer as you never know what you can expect.
Yeah she’s already researching this
The electronic publishing department (e-publishing) has received a total of 213 requests for media permits. i just read this. Seeing the number 213 looks like bloggers are included too !
Any update from your lawyer ?
Nope nothing yet
Mark, not so long ago you said :
“The 248AM you’re defining hasn’t existed in years. Today the blog has become a source of curated informative and entertainment related posts. People come in here to find out about new things in Kuwait and if I’m sharing these posts or someone else is, it wouldn’t make a difference.”
You are a media source by your own definition.
That doesn’t mean this isn’t a blog as well, I mean it is from the software I’m using to the way it’s run but that’s not what I am questioning here anyway. Just because I say I’m something or say I’m not something doesn’t mean I fall under the government interpretation of the same. I’m curious to know what are their points in defining a media news site.
I think the law is vague and unclear. Lets take Mark’s blog for example, how can we classify it if it is personal or not.
Lets take another example, if I myself decide to have a blog concentrated on football or movies or business news, are these blogs going to be considered personal or not?
Entities, registered as a corporation, charity etc., with online presence, be it a website or social media accounts, are supposed to fall under the new law. That’s my understanding of it.
Paragraph 1/ last sentence of the articles states clearly that the law its directed only to professional online media.
Paragraph 3/ first sentence will not apply to personal accounts (bloggers), and this has no relation if you do sell advertising banner or not.
Blog its a personal online journal and its not OFFICIAL news provider.
Engadget, gizmodo, jalopnik, autoblog are all blogs and are all professional online media websites. Blog isn’t a personal online journal anymore.
Unless 248am is registered, as a corporation or otherwise, you’re good. I could be wrong.
might be wrong
thought they meant professional online media as official news provider, have your lawyer checked regarding this matter, curious of answer
Can’t comprehend what makes the Government think that they have the right to license such websites at the first place and issue even a decree for that! Is it because the websites owners are possibly Kuwaitis? Or non Kuwaitis but living in Kuwait? Or that the websites are installed on a local servers here in Kuwait? What if non of these is the case?!!
Kuwait is lowkey becoming North Korea lol
VPN BANNED IN UAE – all ISPs in Kuwait are asked to block VPN by 1st of August. Fines same like uae
Can you give me the source on that? Sounds awful, how can I beat off now?
“The whole thing doesn’t make sense though, you can’t regulate or control the internet.”
We’re all in for some rude awakenings soon. Did you hear about the recent VPN ban in UAE with insane fines? That’s the tip of the iceberg IMO. US companies are constantly trying to tighten the reigns (service providers in particular as well as some lost senators).
Our only hope is companies like Apple or Google throwing their weight towards fighting legislation that plans to restrict online freedoms.
This is what happens when you have 1980s mentalities regulating 21st century media
huh? Kuwait was a quiet little heaven in the 80’s before the invasion. It was quite liberal and very laid back with so many good things and good people and there was even more freedom of speech and even on the streets hardly any women covered up like backwards ninjas except illiterate badou. Now it’s becoming a mini saudi arabia that is more expensive with more arrogant and corrupt people than ever before. I wish kuwait could go back to the 80’s and even the 60’s and 70’s when drinking was legal and even the temperatures were lower lol! we should be so lucky…