According to the Saudi newspaper Okaz, a cybercrime expert has warned the public that sending someone a red heart on WhatsApp can land the sender in jail.
If the sender is proven guilty, he might face a two- to five-year jail as well as a fine of SR100,000, as per Saudi law.
Al Moataz Kutbi, member of Saudi Arabia’s Anti-Fraud Association, said in a statement to the Saudi newspaper that sending “red hearts” on WhatsApp is a “harassment crime.”
He added that the use of “some images and expressions during online chats may turn into a crime of harassment if a lawsuit is filed by the injured party.”
Further, he warned app users against engaging in uncomfortable or unwanted chats with strangers or using “explicit expressions or red heart emojis.”
