A Review of Saudi E-Commerce Regulation Under the Scope of the GDPR

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyse and make an initial assessment of the Saudi legislative framework regarding E-commerce and data protection throughout a set of rules imposed on Internet service providers (ISPs) to ensure confidentiality, integrity of data and the safety of online transactions. Some efforts have been made in the Middle East and beyond and making an initial assessment may help us strengthen the existing legal instruments. The basic postulate is that we deal with cybercrimes and potential transnational offences. States should cooperate on a bilateral and multilateral basis in order to increase data protection and both security and predictability of E-commerce. The analysis of European law which opted very early for increased protection of personal data and strict regulation of cyberspace could allow us to put into perspective the evolution of Saudi law and possibly try to bridge or improve its approach to the matter.