UAE: Up to Dh2 million fine for receiving benefits for publishing illegal content, false data

Those who are involved with publishing illegal content or false data will have to face imprisonment and a fine of up to Dh2 million, the UAE public Prosecution has warned.

Through an awareness video published on its social media accounts on Friday, the Public Prosecution noted that, the punishment is as per Article 55 of the Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 on Combatting Rumours and Cybercrimes.

“Any person who requests, accepts, or receives, directly or indirectly, a gratuity or tangible or intangible benefit, or a promise thereof, whether inside or outside the UAE, in return for publishing or re-publishing any type of illegal content or false data in the country using an information technology means, shall be punished with detention and a fine of not more than Dh2,000,000, as well as the confiscation of the gratuity or material benefit obtained by said person, or a fine equal in value to what he/she requested or accepted, in the case of failure to confiscate the gratuity," the authority noted.

The video further showed that the same penalty shall apply to any person who manages or oversees the operation of an online account or website containing offensive content, or rents or buys an advertising space on such online platforms.

Moreover, the authorities may deem a website or online account offensive if they identify repeated publication of false data or illegal content.

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