Political reform, racism, transgender rights—the audio app Clubhouse has unleashed unbridled debates about topics deemed dangerously sensitive in Saudi Arabia, but surveillance fears have spooked users in the authoritarian …
March 10,2021 Political reform, racism, transgender rights—the audio app Clubhouse has unleashed unbridled debates about topics deemed dangerously sensitive in Saudi Arabia, but surveillance fears have spooked users in the authoritarian state. Banned by the censors in China, the invitation-only app is gaining traction in parts of the Gulf, sparking bold conversations in countries known to curb free speech. The most provocative appear to be happening in chat rooms focused on Saudi Arabia, where nationalist trolls and a government crackdown on online critics have largely stifled debate on other platforms. Such is the popularity of the app that some users in the kingdom are offering to sell Clubhouse invitations on Twitter, highlighting a repressed appetite for debate and discussion despite the fear of surveillance. « Clubhouse is thriving because there’s a plethora of Saudi intellectuals interested in debating multiple topics that could be considered taboo or censored in the public realm, » Amani al-Ahmadi, a US-based Saudi-American activist, told AFP. But after Ahmadi recently hosted a chat on « racism in Saudi Arabia », Twitter was splashed with screenshots and videos revealing the identity and opinions of the participants, alongside conspiracy theories about their motives. The tactic, which sparked fears that app users were being monitored, marked a breach of the rules set by Clubhouse, which forbids the recording of conversations. A similar Clubhouse room created to discuss the recent release of jailed activist Loujain al-Hathloul had to be shut down after some speakers threatened to expose them publicly, according to two sources privy to the session.
