In Saudi Arabia, You Could Be Fined Rs 20 Lakh For Sending Red Heart Emoji On WhatsApp — Here's Why

A fine of SAR 100,000 (nearly Rs 20 lakh) can be levied, along with two to five years of jail, if the sender is found to be guilty under Saudi Arabia's law.

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New Delhi: A cyber crimes expert from Saudi Arabia has warned the public against sending 'red heart' emojis on WhatsApp as it can land them in legal trouble.

A fine of SAR 100,000 (nearly Rs 20 lakh) can be levied, along with two to five years of jail, if the sender is found to be guilty, according to the law.

Gulf News reported that in a statement issued to a local newspaper, a member of the Anti-Fraud Association in Saudi Arabia, Al Moataz Kutbi said that sending these 'red hearts' on WhatsApp equals a 'harassment crime' in the country.

He further added that "some images and expressions during online chats may turn into a crime of harassment if a lawsuit is filed by the injured party".

Kutbi warned the users to not engage in a conversation with any person without their consent or indulge in an intrusive or uncomfortable conversation. He explicitly stated to be cautious of using the red heart emojis.

Quoting Kutbi, the Gulf News report said, "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 honour 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."

The sender will be held accountable if any such abuses took place in the conversation and the incident is reported to the authorities. If the charge is proven, a fine of SR100,000 and/or a jail term of two years will be issued against the suspect. The Gulf News further reported that in case of repeated violation, the fine could reach up to SR300,000 along with 5 years in jail.