Saudi Arabia is lifting a year-long ban on Skype and other services like WhatsApp and Snapchat, effective at 8PM ET today. According to a statement from Saudi Arabia’s telecommunications authority posted on Twitter, any voice and video apps that meet the rules will be allowed.
In the context of Saudi’s current economy, the ban lift makes sense. As oil prices plummet, Saudi Arabia is looking to the internet for more sources of revenue. In August, honesty app Sarahah, launched by a Saudi developer Zain al-Abidin Tawfiq, topped the most downloaded free apps charts in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Other similar startups are also drawing the attention of venture capitalists.
Leap Ventures partner Hala Fadel wrote last year that...
