“We in the Arabian Gulf countries are extremely particular about our private lives and this can be seen in almost all aspects, starting with the high walls of our homes to the way we behave in public,” Noor, a Bahraini clerk, said. “Yet, when you look at some social media, you have the pictures of our girls in European capitals or in resorts abroad, having innocent fun, but dressed differently. The idea is that many families no longer feel they have to live by traditional standards. The discretion that is highly valued here seems to evaporate steadily and these families readily share information about their trips and their activities. This is a tremendous change,” she said.