Headline July 03, 2015/ ''' SAUDI STUDENTS SWING SMARTPHONES '''2

''' SAUDI STUDENTS SWING 

SMARTPHONES '''

ONLY  -SOME HOURS AGO,  the Saudi billionaire,  Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, one of the richest persons in the world, announced the splendid gesture, of-

***Giving away his entire fortune of  $32 billion dollars  to charity, and to  mankind.***

"The inspiration," said the prince came from watching the great work done by Melinda and Bill Gates foundation.

The money will be used for great causes like, "empowering women"  bridging the cultural differences, harmony, peace, fighting disasters, and helping fighting poverty, illiteracy, and disease.

Bill Gates called it the " the greatest act of philanthrophy,and a one of the greatest examples for mankind." 

It is a great singular honour to dedicate this  "operational research"  to this great man, this unque and blessedhuman :  His Royal Highness Prince Alwaleed bin Talal.  

LIFE FOR almost every young  Saudi student, is an ecosystem of apps. 

Working from home  with only a smartphone and a unique sense of humor,  a 22-year old  univeristy student as Amy Roko has gained nearly half a milliom followers on Instagram-

For short videos that show her imitating the Colombian diva Shakira using karate on an unwanted suitor and riding a skateboard since she cannot drive.

That she performs in a traditional black gown and full face veil clearly adds to the novelty.

Ms Roko refused to disclose her real name for fear it would complicate her personal life but allowed that she is a pre-med student who likes Jimmy Kimmel and  "Game of thrones ."

SAUDI ARABIA has ideal conditions for a social media boom : speedy Internet, disposable income and a youthful population with few social options.

UNLIKE CHINA AND IRAN AND PAKISTAN, Saudi Arabia has not blocked sites like Facebook and Twitter, although it occasionally prosecutes those seen as insulting public figures or religion.

The Saudi monarchy has appears to have wisely decided that the benefits of social media as an outlet for young people outweigh the risk that it will be used to mobolize political opposition, which it is quick to punish harshly.

But there are economic benefits, too.

"Young woman who cannot find jobs." writes Ben Hubbard from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, "sell  food or jewellery through Instagram. Since they are banned from driving, they get rides from car services like Uber and Careem.

And in a country where shops close for the five daily Muslim prayers, there are apps that issue a call for prayer from your pocket and calculate whether you can reach say, the nearest Dunkin Donuts before it shuts.

Confronted with an austere version of Islam and strict social codes that place sharp restrictions on public life, the young Saudis are increasingly relying on social media to to express and entertain themselves. 

''A lot of people are stuck to their phones   -and really, really bored,'' said Ali Kalthami, the head of content for  Telfazil,  which produces comedy videos for YouTube. 

The company now employs more than 30 people and has branched out into commercials, games and talent management for its actors, who are often swarmed on the street by young Saudis seeking Selfies with them.

It has lampooned the ban on women driving and stereotypes of Saudis abroad, but its members know their limits.

"The regular taboos: sex, politics and religion." said Alaa Yoosef, the managing director of C3 Films, parent company of Telfazil.

While social media has spread across groups, its effects have been the greatest among Saudis who are under age 30  -more than half the population.

"Eveything to do with technology is a window to the outside world, and there is nothing out there that our young people don't know about," said Hoda Abdulrehman al-Helaissi, a female member of the Kingdom's Shura Council. an advisory body appointed by the King.

Being increasingly wired, however, will not necessarily bring Western-style liberalization. Religious conservatives use social media as adeptly as liberals, and many young Saudis remain committed to and proud of their culture.

Even those who want change say it must come gradually.

But the scale of today's social media boom is staggering, with many of the country's  18 million citizens weilding multiple smartphones and spending hours online each day.

Digital has not replaced  face-to-face interaction, bit it has opened the door to much more direct and robust communication, especially in a society that sharply aggregates men and and women who are not related.

The spread of mobile technology is driving nothing short of a social revolution in the lives of young people.

In this rich but conservative kingdom that bans movie theaters, YouTube and Internet streaming have provided an escape from the censors and a window to the outside world.

A young Sharia judge, for example confided that he had watched all five seasons of  "Breaking Bad." 'I got addicted,' he said.

Swiping through the apps on her phone, Haya al-Fahad, 27,described how she quit her first job after university because one-third of her pay went to the driver she used to get to work.

She now works from home, making bracelets she sells on Instagram. That gives her more time to mange her three FaceBook pages, three Instagram accounts and two Twitter feeds, where she likes to pick fights with people whose views she dislikes.

"This is my identity," she says, waving her phone. "I don't know how people survived 10 years ago without it." 

With respectful dedication to the Students, Professors and Teachers of the world . See Ya all on !WOW!   -the World Students Society Computers-Internet-Wireless:

"' Not Failing The Poor "'

'''Good Night and God Bless

SAM Daily Times - the Voice of the Voiceless