Warning message haunts BlackBerry users
Surprised Blackberry users in Saudi Arabia have received an unsourced dubious message on their devices warning them against abusing the messenger services in their handsets, a local newspaper reported on Friday.
The message sparked anger among users as it told them their handsets are being watched and warned them that they must stop any abuses or malpractices in their devices, Almadina Arabic language daily said.
“Many men and women asked about their feelings towards this message expressed their anger because it means someone is watching them and restricting their freedom and privacy,” the paper said.
Almadina said it had obtained a copy of the message sent to hundreds of Blackberry devices just two days after the Gulf Kingdom restored the messenger services on these handsets following talks with its Canadian manufacturers.
The unsourced message told the users that some remarks have been recorded in the user’s account with the service providers in the Kingdom concerning the nature of messages they are sending, the paper said.
“It also asked them to stop all kinds of malpractices and misuses in the messenger service in this handset, adding that a warning has also been sent to many other users who try to abuse this service,” it added.
Almadina said it tried to contact the Kingdom’s Telecommunication Regulatory Authority about these messages but could not get any response.
Saudi Arabia announced on Wednesday it had restored the Blackberry messenger services after a brief suspension following reports of an initial agreement with the manufacturers, Research in Motion (RIM).
The UAE said it would ban the messenger as well as web browsing and e mail services in Blackberry on October 11 while Kuwait and other Gulf oil producers said they had not intention to suspend the service.
“I got a shock when this message landed in my Blackberry phone…I don’t know where it came from but this is a restriction of our privacy and personal freedom,” Almadina quoted Rima Alrabghi, a Saudi Blackberry user, as saying.
“My friend contacted me and said he received that message,” said Sultan Al Fahd, another user. “He told me he does not know what to do or where the message came from and why they are sending such messages.”