Text dating is becoming popular in Saudi Arabia as young people use it to negotiate the country’s strict Islamic code, according to a Middle Eastern academic.
Teenagers are using wireless technology to find attractive members of the opposite sex, and arrange dates without adults catching on, Dr Magda Abu Fadil, of the Lebanese American university, told a conference last week.
“You see them in parks and cafes exchanging messages. It’s a cute way to date if they are not permitted to socialise informally.”