Personal Data Protection Laws in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Their Impact on the Development of Digital Media Applications

Abstract

This study analyses the legal framework for personal data protection in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia—represented by the Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) issued by Royal Decree No. (M/19), its amendments and Implementing Regulations—and examines its impact on the development of digital media applications, comparing it with the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to identify points of convergence and divergence. The study adopts a descriptive-analytical and comparative approach based on the analysis of legislative texts, regulations, scholarly literature and specialised reports, and draws on Communication Privacy Management (CPM) theory to interpret the relationship between users and applications in light of the privacy variable. The study concludes that the Saudi law represents a significant legislative milestone that aligns with many international standards—in its reliance on consent, the rights it affords data subjects, its security and breach-notification requirements, and its regulation of cross-border transfers—overseen by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) through a body of regulations, guidelines and sanctions. Nevertheless, the law imposes on digital-media application developers challenges relating to technical and regulatory compliance, to balancing data minimisation with content personalisation, to the cost of compliance for start-ups, and to cross-border transfers and reliance on third-party services. The study recommends strengthening the regulatory framework and issuing practical guidelines, providing technical and legal support to developers, embedding privacy by design, and raising legal awareness, so as to support a secure digital media environment consistent with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.