«مشاهير» التواصل.. تجاوزات تتكرر.. قانونيان لـ«عكاظ»: الغرامات لا تكفي والحل لدى المحكمة الجزائية

Social media platforms have become an influential space for shaping public opinion and affecting societal behavior. However, some individuals referred to as "celebrities" have crossed the boundaries of responsibility by publishing inappropriate content, misleading advertisements, and engaging in practices that offend public taste. The repeated violations have raised serious questions: Is the regulatory framework and the penalties sufficient to regulate the scene?

To control these violations, the General Authority for Media Regulation requires influencers to obtain a licensed certification to engage in advertising activities. The authority has the power to impose fines of up to one million riyals, suspend or revoke licenses, and confiscate broadcasting equipment. Recently, actual fines have been imposed on several violating influencers, in a step to affirm the seriousness of the oversight.

According to observers, the persistence of some violations reveals a need for stronger deterrent mechanisms and ensuring the prompt and public enforcement of penalties.

Lawyer Salman Al-Ramali believes that the media violations committed by some social media celebrities must be addressed strictly under the umbrella of the Anti-Cyber Crimes Law, and that the penalty could reach substantial fines or imprisonment. He added that merely imposing fines is not enough, and cases should be referred to the Public Prosecution and the criminal court to impose and announce the penalties to the public, as this has a deterrent effect.

As for legal advisor Muqrin Al-Shuwaiman, he confirmed that the real challenge lies in implementation and transparency, emphasizing that announcing penalties against violators and publishing them through official channels enhances public deterrence and prevents the recurrence of violations. He clarified that the prosecution is required to refer files with a criminal nature to the competent courts, as deterrence is only complete with a publicly announced judicial ruling. Regulating the content of social media celebrities cannot be achieved merely by the existence of penalties but requires transparency in enforcement and conveying the message to the community that the law is present.