STC to Protect Customer Privacy

JEDDAH, 11 May 2004 — Saudi Telecom has intensified efforts to protect the privacy of its customers.

STC’s public relations director Saeed Al-Kahtani said staff passing on details of customers or found browsing their files would be punished.

Al-Kahtani stressed the importance of keeping information about STC’s 12 million customers confidential.

“The company will not hesitate to fire anyone leaking confidential information about customers,” he said.

However, the company will in fact only fire staff caught three times passing on confidential information. The first and second offenses merely carry a salary deduction.

Al-Kahtani added STC had the technology to discover which employees are accessing customer information.