Although not yet publicly issued, OFWs particularly those travelling to Saudi Arabia should be advised regarding the new rule being imposed in KSA airports on carrying of electronic devices.
According to the new rule, all electronic devices will be submitted for checkup before immigration section. It will include mobile phones with camera and memory card, flash disks, external hard drive, computers, iPod, iTouch and mp3 players with memory cards. Electronic devices with nude pictures will be confiscated immediately but there will be no fines. Refusal though could result to jail and deportation.
According to sources, these rules are being applied already in the airports of Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah. Aside from nude pictures, computers with pirated software will also be confiscated.
A special USB device will be inserted into your electronic device while being checked in the immigration section. This USB device will scan all videos and pictures from your device and will be recorded into the main computer for checking. This special device, according to sources, was invented by a Filipino.
True or not, it is important for us, OFWs, to watch out for these new rules on KSA airports. I’m sure we don’t want inconveniences because of our ignorance. Besides, it’s not our loss if we follow these rules in anticipation that this news could be true and could possibly happen.
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
July 9th, 2009 on 8:38 am
Is it possible to confirm the source of this information or confirm its application at the airport? We should confirm this before announcing it or creating a hoax (which it does not seem like).
Thanks,
Naveed Saeed
July 9th, 2009 on 1:05 pm
That is soooo stuiped and insane … who the hell came up with that ?
July 15th, 2009 on 10:34 am
This advisory regarding electronic gadgets for those bound for KSA was recently confirmed particularly in airports in Riyadh, Dammam, and Jeddah…
July 18th, 2009 on 7:33 pm
Mga taong walang magawa sa buhay nila kundi magbigay perwisyo sa ibang tao, dapat sila ang ikulong. Nakakahiya, pinoy ka pa naman. Baka may kabit na arabo.
July 21st, 2009 on 7:26 am
Could anyone please tell me weather this ruling is ment for departing or arriving pessengers at these airports.
July 22nd, 2009 on 10:45 pm
HAHAHAHAHA…..FUNNY!
What ever that device is, its still completely useless..I don’t when it was implemented but when I came here in Riyadh at May last month there’s no hassle I even hand carried my Bag of CD with..But any NO NEED TO WORRY what ever the USB or any installation they will do it can still be prevented..Like other wise when the inserted their USB while the Windows is ON or it was booted through USB..I know my software will automatically destroy or disabled their system..
OR WE DON’T BUY ANYMORE ELECTRONICS HERE IN SAUDI ARABIA,and we will see what’s the effect IN their IT Market..
We work here in Saudi Arabia..Night and Day..Overtime without pay and too far with our FAMILIES ..this electronic things that can only make us happy and we bought those things for our private use why they invade our privacy.
I know this is not our land so we should follow their rules..I’m really upset when I heard this news, so I’m now developing my own encryption lock and virus algorithm and we will see..
If they want to penalized who have pirated softwares they must first inform Microsoft and etc..to protect their copyrights it’s not our fault to download it from the internet it is them who should protect their own products..before they release their products they should make sure that their products can’t be copied. and the Ministry of Commerce should not allow this company to sell their products if they know it can be easily copied..
BWESSSSSIIIIITTTTTTTTT!
July 23rd, 2009 on 4:21 am
I’m curious. That special device seems to be really ground-breaking. Imagine a few more tweaks and it can be used to check files for terrorist plans and such! It would be a godsend for anti-terrorist groups. And imagine the “breach of security” implications that this thing could have!
Given an ordinary non-DRM mp3 file (for example) it would be hard to figure out if it was bought legally or simply downloaded via a torrent. Unless the guy programmed the device to look for specific information in the file. Such information though would require a huge amount of data. Photos will have to be checked by sight unless he was able to create an algorithm that could actually determine if something is nude or not. I mean, such a program could revolutionize anything from ordinary household appliances to robotics and space exploration!
Which brings me to this question: WHY isn’t the inventor’s name known? And why haven’t I seen anything about this amazing invention in any of the tech online news sites?
I seriously think this is a hoax. That said, you shouldn’t even be using pirated software in the first place.
July 23rd, 2009 on 8:07 am
@Charo Nuguid
Terrorist are not that stupid to put any information in Soft copy or Hard copy.
How could they determine nude pix even face of a women in a product they crossed out.
And by the way, softwares that can be downloaded in the internet is not a pirated it is purely an IT resources without this information Software Engineers like me couldn’t have a basis on Technological research and development. On the first place, why they make software available in the internet, and if theres a breach of security in the products of Microsoft it’s their problem so they shouldn’t blame the torrent sites.
If they could make excemption to IT Professionals, I would consider it but this is purely a disperate move on their side.
July 30th, 2009 on 7:20 am
This is so unfair! Contents of personal gadgets, may it be nude, arts, porno, whatever you call it, are private and other people should not interfere with it.
How about songs you copied to your computer? Family pictures with your own wife in her bikinis?
I cannot believe how the government came up with this idea.
#6 is right. We have to buy electronics somewhere and not from KSA since the risk of your gadget being confiscated is high.
July 30th, 2009 on 7:36 am
True or Not it’s for our own good! Why are we keeping NUDE PHOTOS, MOVIES AND PIRATED SOFTWARE in the first place???????????
Clear your devices and clear your conscience!!!
August 1st, 2009 on 12:42 pm
^because first of all, not all people have the resources and money to buy essential software such as reliable antiviruses and office suites (maybe you have the moolah hence the ridiculous question). and pornography is a given bad thing however it is widespread and knowing the nature of man it’s perfectly normal to have libido and instinctively download/view these. anyways, the people who formulated this rule are either filthy rich or just plain hypocrites. and does that USB even exist? pfft.
August 21st, 2009 on 5:04 pm
imagine if its really true, what they will do the confiscated units in which they think or verified that it has unusual content? Think also for a single flight with a boeing size aircraft having a huge number passengers and all of these carries electronic gadget, and all are detected with unusual things that they have declared.What they will do to the confiscated unit?delete the content and resell it? This is really a hoax!!!
August 21st, 2009 on 5:44 pm
@Ashesbonex f all the travellers in those mentioned airports carrying units with nude photos or pirated software installed on it, what they will gonna do to the units that they have confiscated?delete the content-reformat and sell? How about the freewares that are installed in your laptop, maybe they will consider this as pirated. Imagine a single flight with all passengers carrying this gadgets with pirated or nude photos stored on it and confiscated, maybe there will a big sale!!!I saw from one of the internet blogs that the inventor of this gadget was a Filipino!!!
September 25th, 2009 on 6:18 am
bka nmn ung software na pirated e ung mga cd na installer kc pnu m detect qng nka instal na..ma detect p kya ng usb “special usb” nla qng nka zip files na ung mga nude videos and photos hehe tpos i lgay mu ung files sa tagong tago..tgnan q lng ma scan nla un haha
February 27th, 2010 on 5:34 pm
This is not practical,what ever the device dey r usin can only search for the file extensions,the device cannot identify weter it is nude or not,
the other option is , device can filter the names,n if it contains nude name den it can alert,so the device is fake…
if such a device is developed then it wil b a new revolution…so the device can alert n it shud b checked ba a man,so in a flight just 12 persons r havin laptop,den wat ever speed their device has will not be same wen connected to diff speed lap,or hard drive,so for a scan of full hardisk wil tak time and dey wil need to postpone the airlines…
so this is a tough task…
so the chance is to be a fake msg…
But better to avoid nude things,
and the copy of pirated softwares,
it is hard to find weter the installed softwares r pirated or not,
for every software dey use diff engines to detect the activation,
SO THEY CAN ONLY UNDERGO FOR CHECKING IF THEY DOUBT SOMEONE…
They can pick the passengers randomly n ask for checking…
And this is the law from last few years dat no passenger is supposed to carry,nude or pirated softs while flying…
THE ONLY NEW THING IS THE DEVICE…
Everyone is eager to know the real thing.!!!
May 16th, 2010 on 4:51 am
papunta akong jeddah by next pero stopover akong riyadh. may dala akong laptop. walang nude photos kakainstall ko lang nang windows 7 ultimate pero crack yon. i need advice kailangan ko pa rin bang palitan ng linux yong OS para mas safe or i keep my windows7. if ever na gumamit akong linux may nabibili kayang windows 7 na pirated sa jeddah?
June 8th, 2010 on 5:02 am
I think it’s good from security purpose and people should contribute in it…some time taking process but anything for our safety…..
March 24th, 2011 on 3:28 pm
tangina mamatay na ung gumawa nun, puchang ina!! gaganda pa naman ng mga porno ko!!