Up to Dh200,000 fine, two years in jail: UAE cracks down on spreading rumours during regional crisis

Amid the Iran-US-Israel conflict and rising regional tensions, the UAE has warned residents against spreading rumours and misinformation on social media platforms.

Authorities said they have detected a surge in the circulation of false news, fabricated videos and misleading images related to the ongoing military confrontation and other developments in the region.

Officials issue a warning

Hamid Saif Al Shamsi, Attorney General of the UAE, has warned against photographing, publishing or circulating images and videos of accident sites or damages caused by falling projectiles or debris.

Shared online in an attempt to amp up the anxiety and confusion within the society, these affect the stability in the country and cast doubt on the current situation. According to security sources and experts, many of these campaigns republish old footage of accidents and fires that occurred years ago in the Gulf countries, and present them as recent incidents in the UAE.

Additionally, manipulated videos created using artificial intelligence and deepfake technologies are being circulated with the aim of shaping public opinion and propagating hostile agendas.

Al Shamsi assured that the state institutions concerned with public safety are performing their duties with high efficiency to safeguard society and that the daily life across the country continues as normal, with necessary measures set into place to address any developments.

He also underlined that incidents of such nature are handled by competent authorities with precise security and defence procedures and sharing of videos or images online could undermine the response efforts carried out by the authorities.

Thus, sharing such fabricated content or spreading misleading information is a criminal offence punishable by law. Al Shamsi stressed that the Public Prosecution will take firm legal action against the violators.

Severe legal penalties

As per legal experts, spreading rumours or unverified information in the UAE is a criminal offence under the country's UAE Cybercrime and Rumours Law.

Article 52 of the law stipulates a minimum prison sentence of one year and a fine of AED 100,000 for anyone who uses the internet to publish or republish false news, misleading reports or malicious rumours that contradict officially announced information.

If the spreading of such information incites public opinion, spreads panic, harms public security or the national economy, then the same article increases the penalty to at least two years in prison and a fine of Dh200,000.

Verification is a civil responsibility

“Relying on official sources and professional media institutions remains the safest way to understand events during times of crisis,” said social media activist Ibrahim Al Thehli to the Gulf News.

He added that publishing information online is both an individual's and societal responsibility and inaccurate information can mislead others along with contributing to increased public anxiety.

Rapid spread of news does not necessarily mean it's credible and verifying the date, context, and original source of images and videos can help people avoid being manipulated, he noted.