A Kuwaiti woman was fined $10,000 for an 'insulting' WhatsApp message

Insulting someone on WhatsApp can get you a hefty fine in Kuwait, as one woman recently found out. 

According to El Rdar news site, the woman was shocked to learn she'd be fined 3,000 KD ($10,000) over an insult she had texted to a friend via the messaging app. 

"You have no shame and your parents failed to properly bring you up," the defendant had written in her message to the friend, who then reported the text to the country's cybercrime bureau. 

Since news of the case started to make the rounds online on Monday, hundreds of users reacted, sharing their thoughts on the matter. 

"She deserves it."  

"Just because she said 'your parents failed to bring you up properly?'"

"If I file cases against my friends I'll become Al Walid bin Talal." 

"How much would I get if I file a case reporting this insult?"  

Insulting someone on WhatsApp is a serious crime in countries across the Gulf. 

In a case reported by Okaz newspaper earlier last month, a Saudi judge sentenced 2 women to 10 lashes each, after they insulted each other via the messaging app.

The >ruling was revealed in a report on the increase of crimes related to social media in the kingdom. 

According to the local newspaper, such offenses have been on the rise in recent months, with over >220 social media crimes reported in the past 6 months alone.

Swearing on WhatsApp can also get people in major trouble in the UAE. 

In the country, a >rigid cybercrime law is set in place - governing various aspects of the internet including social media posts made to Facebook and Whatsapp messages. 

According to the >UAE's 2012 cybercrime law, individuals can be prosecuted if they make statements deemed "disrespectful" toward Islam, morals, and good conduct. 

This includes slander and breach of privacy, as well as posts or comments that are meant to harm another's reputation and/or publishing information about an individual without permission.