Investment entrepreneur Samer Choucair affirmed that the class-action lawsuit filed in Italy against Meta and TikTok represents an important turning point in the path of global technology sector regulation, confirming that investors are now required to view digital safety standards and user protection as a core factor in evaluating technology companies and their future growth prospects.
He explained that the case came after a number of Italian families took action, including the family of 12-year-old Rossella Ruggiero Aughes, who passed away, with the families accusing social media platforms of contributing to exposing minors to harmful content through algorithms and digital recommendation systems, in the first class-action lawsuit of its kind in Italy targeting Meta and TikTok over the platforms’ impact on the mental health of children and teenagers.
He added that this case comes as part of a global wave of legislation and regulatory pressure aimed at strengthening the protection of minors, including calls for implementing stricter age-verification systems and increasing transparency around how digital algorithms operate.
Responsible Technology as an Investment Driver
Choucair said: “Responsible technology is no longer just an ethical concept, it has become a genuine investment driver. Companies that succeed in balancing growth with user protection will be best positioned to preserve their market value and attract capital over the long term.”
Saudi Arabia’s Digital Foundation
He noted that Saudi Arabia possesses strong fundamentals to benefit from this shift, particularly amid the accelerating expansion of the digital economy under Vision 2030’s targets. Recent data shows that the Saudi digital economy contributes roughly 495 billion riyals to GDP, equivalent to roughly 15% of the national economy, while internet penetration reaches roughly 99% of the population, making the Kingdom one of the most advanced digital markets in the region.
He affirmed that these indicators open the door to promising investment opportunities in responsible artificial intelligence, child online protection technologies, digital age-verification systems, and harmful content monitoring tools, in addition to solutions tied to digital mental health and safe e-learning.
What the Smart Investor in 2026 Looks For
He added: “The smart investor in 2026 won’t focus only on user numbers or advertising revenue, but will also look at companies’ ability to manage regulatory compliance and digital risk. This direction will give companies specialized in digital safety and technical governance a clear competitive advantage in the coming years.”
He explained that Saudi Arabia possesses an attractive regulatory and investment environment for developing these sectors, backed by massive government investments in digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence, strengthening partnership opportunities between investors and startups specialized in responsible technology.
Samer Choucair concluded by affirming that the regulatory shifts the world is experiencing shouldn’t be viewed as a threat to the technology sector, but as an opportunity to redirect investments toward more sustainable and profitable business models, noting that safe, transparent technology will be among the most prominent winning sectors in the global digital economy in the coming years.