Source: Pexels

Thousands of Saudis are calling on authorities to block YouTube in the Gulf state via a now-viral hashtag that's breaking Twitter. 

The hashtag started circulating just hours after an Egyptian court issued a one-month ban on the video-sharing platform in a case that dates back to 2013. 

The verdict came in response to a lawsuit filed by Egyptian lawyer Mohammad Hamed Salem, who said the website hosts a short film deemed offensive to Prophet Mohammad. 

Titled "Innocence of Muslims," the low-budget 13-minute video had sparked outrage in several Muslim countries when it was first uploaded on the website in 2012. 

Even though it remains unclear whether the court's order will be imposed in Egypt, anger over the film that initially led to its passing seems to be spreading online and has reached Saudi tweeps. 

It all started when Saudi tweeps launched this hashtag:

"Blocking YouTube in Saudi Arabia." 

Sparking a controversy that's still ongoing

"I hope they boycott the website just as Egypt did." 

Many were angered over the resurfaced offensive film

"We've got to express our anger and stand against anything that defames Islam and our Prophet. Here they are disregarding our religious sentiment and disrespecting us by publishing material that's offensive to Prophet Mohammad. We need to shut down YouTube for a month." 

Many were all for the platform being banned

"If authorities don't block YouTube in the kingdom then we as Muslims who care about our religion and our Prophet must delete the app. This will send a clear message to other similar platforms. If we go easy on them today, we'll regret it tomorrow." 

Some already deleted YouTube off their phones

"Deleted it." 

Some thought banning the site all-together isn't the right way to go

"Report the film and its content, tell them it's offensive and they'll delete it." 

Others just couldn't even with the calls to block the platform

"As if you'll be punishing YouTube like this, they don't even care about you."

"There's only humans left to ban here and we'll have banned everything"

Many raised this point

"I am against the blocking of YouTube because not everyone uses it negatively, whether it's a viewer or content creator. There are people who use this platform to benefit their careers and those who also use it for work and I am one of them. Secondly, for some, YouTube has also become a source of income."