As many blogs have noted, Suzie’s Big Adventure, written by an American woman married to a Saudi and living in the Kingdom, has for some reason been blocked to readers in the KSA. Just why is a puzzle—though there’s tons of speculation, of course.
I don’t understand the censoring—and censorship is exactly what it is. She’s not revealing deep secrets of powerful figures, nor is she threatening national security. In my view, she has been posting about everyday life in the Kingdom, with its paradoxes, puzzles, mysteries, and ambiguities in a truthful manner. It would be interesting to know who got her site banned, but that’s probably unknowable.
I do hope the censoring authorities come to realize that their blocking her site puts the country into a far darker light than anything she’s written. I hope, too, that the person responsible comes to understand the damage he has done to the reputation of Saudi Arabia and all Saudis by giving the Saudi-bashers another datum on which to base their bashing. Lastly, I hope this ban is lifted quickly.
Susie’s Big Adventure Experiences Censorship
in Saudi Arabia Firsthand!
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May:30:2009 - 09:53
What as shame. I have seen her website and it was up for a reward too. I cannot see why it would be blocked at all. There is another blog site ( by an American) too and I am hoping it will stay!
We will probably never know who blocked it or why—
It was a great website and was not critical about the KSA. Perhaps it was just the idea of music on it—I am confused.
May:30:2009 - 10:09
I agree… I can’t find anything I would consider objectionable, even putting on my ‘Saudi hat’. It seems arbitrary. Arbitrary laws and rules are simply frightening as one doesn’t know and can’t anticipate just what will get one in trouble. Is Crossroads Arabia next? I hope not as about 1/3 of my readers are in Saudi Arabia!
May:30:2009 - 14:46
it just goes on to prove how insecure,immature,fickle,feeble and childish the average saudi mind and intellectual capacity is. Just think if an expat woman’s blog is enough to upset the saudi authorities that they censor it, then what kind of intellectual development will that country achieve. And I have read most of her blogs and for the most part they are quite apolitical and portray saudi in a positive manner. However i personally think, that the saudi authorities are worried about the many pictures she posts about the country. There were a few pictures which showed less developed area of saudi, ie, a picture of a pony and a shabby looking rural saudi giving rides on it in rural saudi etc but i think for the most part that the saudi authorities are paranoid that she may be a foreign spy for Mossad or CIA. God knows best what is running in their conspiracy-infested minds.
May:30:2009 - 16:24
It is not her blog!
they haven’t banned but was destroyed two famous ( liberal forums).. No more exist.. Its sad..
Now they make new rule nobody can make website in Saudi (need a license) crazy country..
and they try to catch saudi atheist on internet…
when I read your blog, I have gloomy day..
we are stuck in this county.. Now it is difficult to live and difficult to move to another country..
we are stuck between terrorism, royal family and religious people
May:30:2009 - 17:10
Sometimes the blocks dissappear quite quickly. People report to some authority what they feel is inappropriate and as far as I can tell they block first and then look into it if people complain. There is really no consistancy about what is allowable/not allowable. When they blocked Amazon.com it was back within hours. I hope Susie will be back too.
If they really thought she was a spy- they would arrest her. It is no secret who she is or where she lives. Her blog is pretty harmless- I’m guessing some “volunteer” internet moniter decided it should be blocked rather than any higher up person.
Also I disagree that,
“it just goes on to prove how insecure,immature,fickle,feeble and childish the average saudi mind and intellectual capacity is.”
I know many perfectly mature Saudi’s with perfectly adequate intellectualy capacity. I imagine Susie would consider her husband and son, as such, as well. In order for a block to have meaning- people here must have been reading the blog.
May:31:2009 - 08:59
Thank you, John – I appreciate your support. I too think I’m pretty harmless and I really do try to avoid those highly argumentative issues, like multiple wives, child brides, beheadings, and certainly politics/government. I have recently been a little more vocal about women’s issues, but I don’t think I ventured where no one else hasn’t gone before. It’s a sad day indeed when a government feels it must silence and intimidate a grandmother who complains about having to wear a scarf on her head.
BTW, a friend told me that a few hours ago, she could now access my blog within the kingdom, but I still cannot. It might be a browser thing at this point, I’m hoping.
Thanks again.
May:31:2009 - 09:16
Susie, John et al.- if you have an Orbit Internet connection in KSA you can still access the blog.
May:31:2009 - 09:35
Saudis who have Internet access that bypasses the filtering operation run by ISU can access anything that is currently blocked. Access can be through satellite, direct connections with international lines, some sections of government offices, and of course ISPs in other countries. Only those that must go through the Saudi Telecommunications Company (STC) have to suffer the blockages.
May:31:2009 - 14:37
The issue is that anybody can almost block anything with the blocking mechanism they have. I seen google, hotmail and even Arabic forums get blocked. Just because a guy who did not like whats written there, or a troll who just wants to ruin the browsing experience for others reports it to the automated system. Which will block it until somebody requested a ban lift through another request form. It seems the ban go much faster and nobody checks until somebody who wants to visit the site writes an unblocking request and states his justification.
May:31:2009 - 14:43
look at the website block url here. its categorized under “pornography”. “http://84.235.120.56/blocked.html?basictype=block&epochseconds=1243799021&requestedurl=http://susiesbigadventure.blogspot.com/&categorylist=149&categorydescriptionlist=Pornography”
May:31:2009 - 16:07
Maybe software that identified the person requesting the block would be a useful addition to the ‘request block’ form. At least that would demand that one stand publicly by one’s actions…
May:31:2009 - 20:04
A virtual private network (VPN)that connects to a server outside the region can side-step any block or ban. Or so I am told.
http://www.surfbouncer.com/unblock_Saudi_Arabia.htm
http://www.novastars.com/vpn/
http://vpnprivacy.com/vpn-for-saudi-arabia.html
June:01:2009 - 07:40
Yes, vpn is the perfect solution to overcome the blocking internet resources in Saudi Arabia.
I recommend http://vpnprivacy.com listed above.
I use them when flying to Kingdom on a business trip.
June:01:2009 - 09:35
Kafka I read your last sentence in post number 4, and it is so sad and true…
What kind of comfort can be given?
Perhaps if all the people in Saudi who feel the way you do tried to make a mass exodus from the country all three groups would try to annihilate one another and once they were all killed off the moderate and intellectual people could return.
Can sense be knocked into people who are delirious and who know nothing else but their own form of perverse madness?
June:01:2009 - 09:56
Sparky, I won’t lie to you that I had the thought before. In my mind I had fantasies about leaving to an uninhabited island more than I should in a life time.
June:01:2009 - 11:45
There are often articles on how much wealth the women here are sitting on and/or in control of. One of my fantasies is I really would love to see a movement where women “divest”- from this country and invest in other countries that treat them better- even if they can’t physically move there. If they want the money here- they need to treat the women better.
June:01:2009 - 12:19
DW and Sandy I think we are brainstorming some pretty good ideas here…hehehe. I would say a good investment might be a ladies island off the coast of Saudi.
All men allowed EXCEPT Saudi Men who do not support women! HaH
June:01:2009 - 18:30
Oh, I don’t know, I think you don’t really count as a proper Saudi blogger if you haven’t been blocked at least once…
And there is something suspicious about Susie… All those lovely stories and adventures… I’m sure she is a double agent, 00-S, and the blocking is only an insidious spin to secure her cover!
June:01:2009 - 18:30
heeeeee, no maths?
June:02:2009 - 11:03
>>Also I disagree that,
“it just goes on to prove how insecure,immature,fickle,feeble and childish the average saudi mind and intellectual capacity is.”
>>I know many perfectly mature Saudi’s with perfectly adequate intellectualy capacity. I imagine Susie would consider her husband and son, as such, as well. In order for a block to have meaning- people here must have been reading the blog.
yes, i am sure you must know some thats why i used the word average; however it doesnt change the fact overall that all those qualities i mentioned are true for most saudis.
June:02:2009 - 11:46
The ban of Suzie’s blog has been lifted. The blog is accessible from Saudi Arabia now.
June:02:2009 - 12:51
“it just goes on to prove how insecure,immature,fickle,feeble and childish the average saudi mind and intellectual capacity is.”
“yes, i am sure you must know some thats why i used the word average; however it doesnt change the fact overall that all those qualities i mentioned are true for most saudis.”
That’s not a fact. It is just your opinion. Which of course you are welcome to.
June:03:2009 - 16:56
>>That’s not a fact. It is just your opinion. Which of course you are welcome to.
It is a fact well known, not just merely an opinion. But of course, you are welcome to reject it if you want:)
BTW, Suzie and her family does not constitute the majority of saudis, let alone all of them.
June:03:2009 - 17:20
As I said, you’re welcome to your opinion. And yes, I know Susie and her family do not constitute either a majority of Saudi’s or even all of them. Though I’m not sure what that has to do with it.
June:03:2009 - 19:02
>>And yes, I know Susie and her family do not constitute either a majority of Saudi’s or even all of them. Though I’m not sure what that has to do with it.
To refute your opinion which you consider as a fact that the majority of saudi ppl are not what i said that they are. (many people in saudi who you say are mature does not necessarily mean the majority of people are like that).
June:04:2009 - 03:53
I never claimed “fact”. That was you- so on you is the burden of proof. You claimed the blockage of the blog was “proof”. I disagreed.
Believe what you like. I’ll do the same.