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CITC Implements Regulatory Framework to Beef up Cybersecurity in Saudi Arabia

A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AFP)
A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AFP)
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CITC Implements Regulatory Framework to Beef up Cybersecurity in Saudi Arabia

A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AFP)
A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AFP)

Saudi Arabia’s Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) on Saturday announced the implementation of a regulatory framework to beef up cybersecurity in the Kingdom.

The “cybersecurity regulatory framework” for service providers in the communications, IT, and postal (services) sector aims to raise the security levels of service providers.

It aims to ensure the implementation of adequate cybersecurity measures according to the best international practices.

In a statement, CITC said the regulatory framework contains a comprehensive set of cybersecurity requirements and controls that will contribute to regulating the communications, IT and postal service sectors.

The framework ensures an increase in the level of confidence in the integrity of the infrastructure of service providers, and the application of best practices to develop appropriate cybersecurity measures.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Province Municipality has presented, through the Municipal Investment Portal "FORAS", new investment opportunities for investors and entrepreneurs.

Mayor of the Eastern Province Fahad Al Jubeir noted that these opportunities fall under a package of 44 investment opportunities in various cities and provinces.

Undersecretary for Investments at the Eastern Province Municipality Eng. Hamdan Al-Aradi said that there are significant changes in the provisions of the regulation on disposing of municipal real estate, both in terms of improving contractual terms, by increasing the contract period from 25 to 50 years and reducing bank guarantees from 100 to 25 percent.

Aradi indicated that optimal utilization of municipal real estate was empowered by investing in public parks within two years of adopting the scheme instead of five years, which would increase the number of parks, raise the standard of residential neighborhoods and improve quality of life.

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Saudi Arabia Showcases Responsible Use of AI at AI Impact Summit in India

Saudi Arabia took part in a high-level session on harnessing artificial intelligence on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit 2026 hosted by India.
Saudi Arabia took part in a high-level session on harnessing artificial intelligence on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit 2026 hosted by India.
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Saudi Arabia Showcases Responsible Use of AI at AI Impact Summit in India

Saudi Arabia took part in a high-level session on harnessing artificial intelligence on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit 2026 hosted by India.
Saudi Arabia took part in a high-level session on harnessing artificial intelligence on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit 2026 hosted by India.

Saudi Arabia, represented by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), took part in a high-level session on harnessing artificial intelligence for people, planet, and progress on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit 2026 hosted by India, the Saudi Press agency reported on Wednesday.

The event drew participation from more than 70 countries and 25 international organizations, as well as senior decision-makers and technology experts.

The Saudi delegation, led by SDAIA President Dr. Abdullah Alghamdi, included Saudi Ambassador to India Haitham Al-Maliki and officials from relevant government entities.

The session aimed to launch a global network of specialized AI scientific institutions, accelerate discovery through advanced technologies, strengthen international cooperation among states and research bodies, and support the deployment of artificial intelligence to address global challenges and advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030.

Deputy Chief Strategy Officer at SDAIA Dr. Abdulrahman Habib emphasized the need to unify international efforts to promote the responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence, ensuring a sustainable, positive impact on societies and economies worldwide and supporting the 2030 SDGs.

He also reviewed Saudi Arabia’s data and AI initiatives, highlighting efforts to develop regulatory frameworks and national policies that balance innovation with the governance of emerging technologies, as well as applied models that have enhanced quality of life, improved government service efficiency, and advanced environmental sustainability.

SDAIA's participation in the summit underscores Saudi Arabia’s role in shaping the global future of AI and in strengthening its presence in international forums focused on advanced technologies, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, which prioritizes digital transformation and innovation.

Technology

Google Says to Build New Subsea Cables from India in AI Push

A logo of Google is on display at Bharat Mandapam, one of the venues for AI Impact Summit, in New Delhi, India, February 17, 2026. REUTERS/Bhawika Chhabra
A logo of Google is on display at Bharat Mandapam, one of the venues for AI Impact Summit, in New Delhi, India, February 17, 2026. REUTERS/Bhawika Chhabra
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Google Says to Build New Subsea Cables from India in AI Push

A logo of Google is on display at Bharat Mandapam, one of the venues for AI Impact Summit, in New Delhi, India, February 17, 2026. REUTERS/Bhawika Chhabra
A logo of Google is on display at Bharat Mandapam, one of the venues for AI Impact Summit, in New Delhi, India, February 17, 2026. REUTERS/Bhawika Chhabra

Google announced Wednesday it would build new subsea cables from India and other locations as part of its existing $15 billion investment in the South Asian nation, which is hosting a major artificial intelligence summit this week.

The US tech giant said it would build "three subsea paths connecting India to Singapore, South Africa, and Australia; and four strategic fiber-optic routes that bolster network resilience and capacity between the United States, India, and multiple locations across the Southern Hemisphere".

Technology

Mark Zuckerberg Set to Testify in Watershed Social Media Trial 

Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on online child sexual exploitation at the US Capitol in Washington, US, January 31, 2024. (Reuters)
Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on online child sexual exploitation at the US Capitol in Washington, US, January 31, 2024. (Reuters)
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Mark Zuckerberg Set to Testify in Watershed Social Media Trial 

Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on online child sexual exploitation at the US Capitol in Washington, US, January 31, 2024. (Reuters)
Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on online child sexual exploitation at the US Capitol in Washington, US, January 31, 2024. (Reuters)

Mark Zuckerberg will testify in an unprecedented social media trial that questions whether Meta's platforms deliberately addict and harm children.

Meta's CEO is expected to answer tough questions on Wednesday from attorneys representing a now 20-year-old woman identified by the initials KGM, who claims her early use of social media addicted her to the technology and exacerbated depression and suicidal thoughts. Meta Platforms and Google’s YouTube are the two remaining defendants in the case, which TikTok and Snap have settled.

Zuckerberg has testified in other trials and answered questions from Congress about youth safety on Meta's platforms, and he apologized to families at that hearing whose lives had been upended by tragedies they believed were because of social media.

This trial, though, marks the first time Zuckerberg will answer similar questions in front of a jury. and, again, bereaved parents are expected to be in the limited courtroom seats available to the public.

The case, along with two others, has been selected as a bellwether trial, meaning its outcome could impact how thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies would play out.

A Meta spokesperson said the company strongly disagrees with the allegations in the lawsuit and said they are “confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.”

One of Meta's attorneys, Paul Schmidt, said in his opening statement that the company is not disputing that KGM experienced mental health struggles, but rather that Instagram played a substantial factor in those struggles.

He pointed to medical records that showed a turbulent home life, and both he and an attorney representing YouTube argue she turned to their platforms as a coping mechanism or a means of escaping her mental health struggles.

Zuckerberg's testimony comes a week after that of Adam Mosseri, the head of Meta's Instagram, who said in the courtroom that he disagrees with the idea that people can be clinically addicted to social media platforms.

Mosseri maintained that Instagram works hard to protect young people using the service, and said it's “not good for the company, over the long run, to make decisions that profit for us but are poor for people’s well-being."

Much of Mosseri's questioning from the plaintiff's lawyer, Mark Lanier, centered on cosmetic filters on Instagram that changed people’s appearance — a topic that Lanier is sure to revisit with Zuckerberg.

He is also expected to face questions about Instagram’s algorithm, the infinite nature of Meta’ feeds and other features the plaintiffs argue are designed to get users hooked.