Netizens shall be cautious about the content they are about to post. The authorities urged online users in the UAE to stop spreading and sharing information from unaccredited sources. Even taking pictures of people without asking permission can face a fine of up to AED 500,000.
According to Mohammad Al Dahbashi, Managing Partner of ADG Legal, social media users are responsible for verifying information’s source and credibility before uploading it.
“The law is clear in stating that a person will be penalized when sharing any content that contains rumors, fake news, unofficial news or anything that disrupts national security,” said Al Dahbashi.
Here are the full list of penalties and fines for committing social media violations
| Penality | Fine | Imprisonment |
| Information that agitates public opinion, causes panic or harms national security and affairs | AED 100,000 | 1 YEAR |
| Fake news, rumours, misleading or inaccurate information that contradicts official announcements | AED 100,000 | 1 year |
| Fake news during pandemics, emergencies or crises | AED 200,000 | 2 years |
| Photos or videos of other people without their consent | AED 150,000-500,000 | 6 months |
| Comments, news, photos or information about a person, even if true, that may cause harm | AED 150,000-500,000 | 6 months |
| Misleading or inaccurate ads | AED 20,000- 500,000 | Prison term |
| Information or data that defames a foreign country | AED 100,000- 500,000 | 6 months |
| Pornography or indecent content | AED 250,000 – 500,000 | Prison term |
| Content that contains blasphemy and defames religions | AED 250,000 – 1 million | Prison term |
| Content for collecting donations | AED 200,000- 500,000 | Prison |
