If you’re a WhatsApp group admin in KSA, prepare for more liabilities and responsibilities. Society must refrain from sharing illicit, immoral, or illegal content. Now, it seems like WhatsApp group admins will be held responsible for such content posted on their groups.
A WhatsApp group admin is already responsible for adding or deleting people, unwanted messages, etc. A legal update in KSA states that if a WhatsApp group has content threatening the state’s security, leaks sensitive data, or shows information related to official documents, the group admin is bound to report it all to the state authorities.
Failure to do so may result in punishment, including fines, public lashings, or incarceration. The final decision will rest with the authorities and be relevant to the offending content.
Legal updates
The Cybercrimes Act 19 of 2020 deems data messaging threats directed at people, certain groups, and property offenses. As a result, the WhatsApp group admins need to keep a close eye on their group activity.
A bright spot
While a WhatsApp group admin might get in trouble for not reporting certain information, there is a ray of hope.
After years of anticipation, WhatsApp group admins can now actively delete messages within the group. This WhatsApp update will please group admins, as they can delete offending content for their benefit.
Self-Preservation
For group admins, a disclaimer and some guidelines are necessary. The admin may also specify the purpose of the group before creating it.
Despite taking these precautions, authorities may still prosecute and hold a group admin liable for the shared content. This is regardless of whether they have published, endorsed, or forwarded these messages.
