Selected functions of the BlackBerry will be banned by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Government from 11 October 2010, said research company, Ovum.

The decision reflects the government’s concern that the BlackBerry service does not allow monitoring of data traffic sent and received by users, as well as the fact that data is handled and stored offshore.

According to Ovum, the problem that BlackBerry creators, Research In Motion (RIM), face is that a key selling point for the smartphone is the security it offers. If RIM had to compromise with one government, then others will demand the same access.

This matter forms part of the wider debate around government monitoring and filtering of telecommunications and the internet, privacy, freedom of speech and national security.