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UAE, Saudi to ban weblinks on BlackBerry
Days after India threatened to suspend BlackBerry services over security fears, the United Arab Emirates said on Sunday that it would block key features on the smart phones.
Days after India threatened to suspend BlackBerry services over security fears, the United Arab Emirates said on Sunday that it would block key features on the smart phones.
The UAE too cited national security concerns while saying it would suspend messaging, e-mail and Web browsing services starting October 11.
Neighbouring Saudi Arabia indicated it would follow suit.
It is unclear if the UAE ban will affect only local users or foreign visitors with roaming services as well.
Blackberry data is encrypted and several governments — including India — fear its messaging system could be exploited by terrorists or criminals who cannot be monitored by local authorities.
India had recently warned Canada-based RIM, the makers of BlackBerry, that if it did not allow it to monitor email and SMSes, it would have to close down operations in India.
