Authorities in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have said that sending heart emojis to women will now face up to two years in prison.
Sending a heart emoji to a girl or any social media website or WhatsApp is now considered an indecency offense punishable by law.
Haya al-Shalahi, a Kuwaiti lawyer, said those charged with the crime face up to two years in prison and a fine of up to 2,000 Kuwaiti dinars.
However, those found guilty of this crime can be sentenced to two to five years in prison with a fine of one hundred thousand Saudi Riyals.
A Saudi cybercrime expert said that sending a girl a red heart on WhatsApp would be considered harassment under the country’s jurisdiction.
“Using certain images and expressions during online conversations can turn into a harassment offense if a lawsuit is filed by the aggrieved party,” said Al-Ma’atz Katabi, a member of the Saudi Anti-Fraud Association.
Meanwhile, the fine can be as high as 300,000 Saudi Riyals, and if a person repeats the crime, he can be sentenced to five years in prison.
