Kuwait asks BlackBerry maker to block porn
* Kuwait wants 3,000 porn sites blocked - newspaper
* Maker has given initial agreement, source tells paper
* Kuwait also concerned about security but plans no ban
KUWAIT, August 3 - Kuwait has asked BlackBerry maker Research in Motion to block pornographic sites though will not suspend services like other Gulf states have threatened to do, a local newspaper reported on Tuesday.
It said Kuwait was working with RIM and local telecom companies to reach a set of "legal controls that would guarantee national security on the one hand, and the rights of citizens ...to use the device's services on the other." The BlackBerry's coveted secrecy has come under scrutiny since Sunday, when the United Arab Emirates announced plans to ban BlackBerry Messenger, email and Web browser services from October 11. [ID:nLDE6700AZ]
The Gulf state cited national security and other concerns and said the move followed three years of unsuccessful negotiations with RIM.
Industry sources said Saudi Arabia had ordered local telecom companies to freeze BlackBerry Messenger from this month.
Combined, the Gulf states and India represent more than 2 million BlackBerry users, or about 5 percent of the 41 million devices in service worldwide.
RIM's Nasdaq-listed shares fell as much as 2.7 percent before closing down 0.96 percent at $56.98 on Monday in New York, hurt in part by concerns over the risk that the UAE's ban might spread to other countries, according to analysts.
Its Toronto-listed shares resume trading on Tuesday following a public holiday.
If they dont want people to have any access to anything then why bother allowing the appliances into the country to start with.... ban TV, ban satellites, phones, internet etc, keep the blinds closed and live that kind of a life....
No point allowing people access and then suddenly deciding oh this is porn or this is against national security bla bla bla .....
porn is just around the www :D
asif_khan stop posting sensible topics....:)