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MalcolmLinair t1_j33ws66 wrote

Reply to comment by AudibleNod in Saudi Arabia jails two Wikipedia staff in ‘bid to control content’ by GhostlyRuse

Because no one would use it. Much like Russia and China, the Saudis want to extend their influence across the world, and taking over the largest and most widely used free source of information on the web would be a huge step in that direction.

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AudibleNod t1_j33xwwv wrote

China is a really good example. They have Tiktok.

I really think if Saudi Arabia tried they could come up with something that competes with Wikipedia in the same way Tiktok is competing with Facebook. And the best way to spread influence, IMO, is to follow the China model. Just look at how much China makes Hollywood bend to it's will. Objectively, it's really something. Saudi Arabia can do something similar with all that money they have. And they're trying a bit here and there. That LIV golf thing seems to be a non-starter. But it shows they're trying a different tact. The thing is they have to start now. Before the oil runs out, before EVs take over, before temps reach 65°C in Riyadh.

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WhiteHairedWidow t1_j34xlan wrote

China has people and Hollywood will bend to china because china will prevent the movie from being played in their country. That would be a huge loss in profit for the company. Saudi is a backwards country with a super rich elite in a majority poor nation.

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Ser_Dunk_the_tall t1_j35nneq wrote

Yeah Saudi Arabia could payoff everyone to not make films they don't like but they would soon run out of money from paying off grifters pretending to make those films. China actually make real money for filmmakers so losing their market is a real loss of potential revenue in the way SA just isn't

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PEVEI t1_j34d6e3 wrote

Saudi Arabia is now a major stakeholder in Twitter.

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Silver-Hat175 t1_j356bnz wrote

It always was. And Fox News. Which is hilarious.

Saudi had insiders in Twitter doxing journalists a few years ago that was a big story at the time.

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Goldfish1_ t1_j38g6us wrote

> Just look at how much China makes Hollywood bend to it’s will. Objectively, it’s really something. Saudi Arabia can do something similar with all that money they have.

Not a good example really. China bends Hollywood to its will because it has an absolute massive movie market equal to that of the US. Saudi Arabia does not have that advantage.

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AudibleNod t1_j38j7cu wrote

There's only a handful of movie theaters in Saudi Arabia and it's only a tenth the size of America in population I grant you. But instead of people we can talk raw dollar figures and get Saudi Arabia closer to China in terms of capital. Factor that with Saudi Arabia's influence with rest of the region and you get a bit closer to a China comparison.

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MacDerfus t1_j388d6h wrote

They all want to have their cake and eat someone else's, ideally while selling them the ingredients

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