X, owned by Elon Musk, has become the latest major US social media company to block the accounts of Saudi Arabian dissidents, making them no longer visible inside the kingdom. This action follows orders from Saudi authorities.
More than 60 accounts on the platform have been made unavailable in Saudi Arabia through geoblocking since mid-July, according to the London-based human rights organisation ALQST. Affected individuals include human rights activist Yahya Assiri and US-based critic Abdullah Alaoudh.
Account holders received emails from X stating their content was withheld to comply with Saudi Arabia's local laws. A Saudi decree attached to these letters, seen by the Guardian, alleged the accounts transmitted material infringing on public order, religious values, public morals, or the sanctity of private life.
Earlier this year, the Guardian reported that Snapchat, Meta's Facebook and Instagram, and YouTube had also blocked dissident accounts over similar allegations by Saudi authorities. ALQST has called on X, Meta, Snapchat, and YouTube to restore access and provide transparency.