Like a number of countries, Saudi Arabia has found that social media and the Internet can strengthen antigovernment activity or thwart it. Saudi government policies have addressed economic development and other citizen concerns successfully enough to somewhat defuse large-scale, social media-organized unrest. Meanwhile, nations that may have applauded the role these assets played in weakening other governments have now seen such protests within their own borders. Saudi Arabia has watched such polities as Israel and Great Britain deal with unrest and gathered lessons learned for its own approach. The Kingdom now invites other governments to learn from its experience in using social media for criminal rehabilitation and counterterrorism. It hopes that, among other things, where protests succeed, they can bring needed change. For instance, greater awareness of Palestinian economic hardship under occupation, made possible by protests in Israel, may lead to more Israeli compassion and contribute to Middle East peace.

Saudi Arabia sees itself as an indispensible world player because, among other things, such volumes of world trade, including energy transactions, are routed through it. Anyone with the requisite computer skills can cause massive havoc, and Riyadh wishes to create an indigenous cadre of advanced practitioners, as opposed to functionaries who merely achieve certification. The Kingdom’s needs may not be met by Westerners or other non-Arabs not fully apprised of regional concerns. Moreover, there are fears that those who currently oversee cybersecurity may lack the understanding to craft a cohesive defense. Military and nonmilitary means must be brought into alignment, and Saudi observers seek a grasp of the Western delineation as a guide for their own cybersecurity effort.