Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Saudi men are addicted to pornography on the Web; Saudi women, to chatting

SAUDI GAZETTE: Internet addiction has come to the Kingdom, affecting both Saudi men and women, specialists say. Saudi women are primarily addicted to chatting while Saudi men tend to be addicted to pornography sites.

The growing popularity of the internet among Saudis coupled with the decreasing price of Internet connections, more and more psychologists are seeing patients who complain of internet addictions.

"Internet addiction is becoming a big problem," said Ibtihal Abo Baker, a psychotherapist practicing in Riyadh. "People are escaping reality and running away from their pain to an online retreat. They are basically using the internet as a survival mechanism."

While men seem to be finding sexual revelations online, Saudi women are finding an unsheltered world platform where they can enter men's majleses, argue, discuss, vent their inner feeling and chat with anyone from any part of the world and of any sex. Many Saudis find Internet Overly Enticing (Read on) by Suzan Zawawi

Mark Alexander