The Saudi government announced shortly ago, through the Real Estate General Authority, that citizens would be prohibited from discussing property prices, the housing crisis and land taxation on social media platforms.

The authority said that expressing opinions on real estate matters is a right reserved exclusively for holders of a “Fal” licence.

The decision comes amid growing public anger over the housing crisis and soaring rental costs, alongside accusations that Mohammed bin Salman misled citizens in previous statements regarding the resolution of the housing shortage through revenues generated from white land taxes.

Social media platforms have, for weeks, seen increasing discussion of:

▪️ The housing crisis.

▪️ Rising rents.

▪️ Escalating land prices.

▪️ Growing levels of homelessness.

▪️ The failure to use white land tax revenues to address the housing crisis as previously promised by Mohammed bin Salman.

▪️ The clearance of established residential neighbourhoods and their transfer to American real estate companies as part of demographic restructuring projects, which critics say has worsened the housing shortage.

The latest Saudi decision addresses public discussion of the housing crisis by restricting commentary on the issue rather than tackling the underlying problems themselves.