Saudi Arabia Strict Action Against Fake Weather Forecasts
To stop misleading weather information, Saudi Arabia has implemented a major new regulation that imposes incredibly steep fines on anyone disseminating weather forecasts without official authorization. The maximum penalty for violating this regulation is 150,000 Saudi Riyals, which is a substantial sum of money equal to about $40,000 in US dollars.
The National Authority for Civil Communication, the government agency in charge of making sure that information disseminated to the public is accurate and trustworthy, made this decision. Public safety is the main justification for this stringent new law.
Accurate information is not only convenient in a nation frequently faced with severe weather events such as sudden heavy rain, powerful sandstorms, and dangerous flash floods, but it can literally make the difference between life and death.
How False Information Endangers People in the Real World
Because inaccurate or overstated weather reports can have major negative effects on people and the economy, the government is worried. A fictitious warning of a powerful storm, for example, might cause widespread panic. People may make rash and risky decisions as a result of this panic, such as blocking emergency phone lines with false reports or evacuating areas needlessly.
Unjustified business closures could result in lost revenue for businesses and income for employees. Based on inaccurate information, farmers may choose poorly for their livestock and crops, which could have an impact on the food supply.
The greatest risk is that people may begin to disregard all weather warnings if they see too many fictitious ones that never materialize. This implies that people may not heed a legitimate, official warning about a real, dangerous weather event, endangering countless lives.
The official weather voice is one source that will dominate the forecast.
The government is advising everyone to obtain their weather updates from the National Center for Meteorology, a single, official source, to avoid this chaos. The only organization with the knowledge and technology to precisely track and forecast weather patterns throughout Saudi Arabia is this one.
According to the new regulations, weather forecasts and warnings can only be published by this official center and media organizations that have been granted special permission by the government. Therefore, the government has made it illegal for well-known social media influencers, unlicensed websites, and even regular people to share their own weather forecasts or analyses. They may only repost or share official updates from the National Center for Meteorology.
Consider Your Retweet Before Sharing It; It Could Be an Expensive Error
This law requires the typical user of social media sites like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter to be far more cautious about what they share and post about the weather. Now, sharing an unconfirmed friend’s forecast or making a video predicting a sandstorm could result in a crippling fine.
The government’s main takeaway is to always verify the source of any weather-related information. It should not be shared unless it is directly from the official weather center or a significant, reliable news organization that has the necessary licenses to disseminate the information. This action is a component of a broader global campaign to combat disinformation, commonly referred to as “fake news,” especially when it poses a risk to public safety.
By regulating the flow of weather information, the Saudi government hopes to eliminate the uncertainty and risk brought on by rumors and false alarms and guarantee that every citizen receives clear, accurate, and potentially life-saving information straight from the experts.
