You might remember that just a few months ago Snapchat had its worldwide call feature blocked in the UAE.

Why? Telecom providers Etisalat and du forced the crackdown because Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a regulated activity in this country. (That’s why Apple’s FaceTime and Whatsapp calls are also no-gos).

And now Snapchat has further been reined in due to objections over some users’ racy content.

The UAE’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) complained to the US-based social media app after some users reported inappropriate images that go against the region’s culture and traditions.

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Snapchat allows senders to broadcast videos and images which can be viewed for up to 10 seconds by their contacts. Once seen, the content will disappear – however thanks to screenshotting, it’s not quite as temporary as some think.

Around 12 per cent of UAE residents are users of the platform, with 150 million users found around the world in total.

The TRA reportedly asked Snapchat to remove inflammatory material, after receiving complaints that explicit images were available to be viewed without warnings or age restrictions.

The watchdog received a positive response from the image-sharing app, The National reported, and some material has been taken down.

“Our focus is on creating the best possible experience for Snapchatters around the world,” said an app spokesman.

The TRA are still waiting for an official update from Snapchat.

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