12-19-2011, 12:27 PM
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lol
Industry Role:
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 15,969
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Quote:
In recent Arab Spring demonstrations, Twitter was the enemy of royal families and brutal dictators across the region. Saudi Arabia was untouched by demonstrations, but what would a big investment from an Arabian prince mean if the protests hit Saudi Arabia as well and threatened to topple the royal family there?
Maybe nothing, maybe not.
But Saudi money reasonably raises concerns ? not because it comes from Muslims or from the Middle East, but because it comes from an autocratic society with a ruling family that has very, very deep pockets and a not-great track record on civil liberties issues.
Then again, our dependence on Saudi oil is likely a bigger problem than any potential conflict of interest in some hypothetical future protest movement.
I?m dubious Twitter would stoop to any form of censorship should this ever take place. Then again, accusations of the company refusing to trend controversial subjects have surfaced in the past. Either way, when it comes to investments into American companies from societies that share few if any of our values, politics, or economic models I think it?s important to at least be watchful.
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great. lol. |
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