The UAE takes fake news and rumors very seriously. In an online post, the Ras Al Khaimah Police has reminded residents about the consequences and fines involved in spreading fake news and rumors in the country.
Article 52 of the New Law—Criminalization of Fake News and Rumors—stipulates that “Whoever uses the information network to ‘announce, disseminate re-disseminate, circulate, or recirculate false news or data, or false, tendentious, misleading or erroneous rumors or reports, or rumors or reports contrary to what has been announced officially, or broadcasts any provocative advertisements that would incite or provoke the public opinion, disturb the public peace, spread terror among people, or cause harm to the public interest, the national economy, the public order, or the public health’ shall be punished with at least one year of imprisonment and a fine of not less than AED 100,000.”
Moreover, it further explained that this punishment shall increase to at least two years of imprisonment with a fine of not less than AED 200,000 in case any of the mentioned actions set out under paragraph (1) of Article 52 result in the incitement and provocation of the public opinion against any of the UAE entities or authorities, or is committed during epidemics, crisis, emergencies or disasters.
Additionally, the text of Article 52 of the New Law also implies that an online user (on social media for instance) could be punished or held liable under the New Law by merely sharing or forwarding or distributing an article or comment containing inaccurate or misleading information/news, even if the said user is not the publisher of such information/news. Online users now have an obligation to check the credibility of the information it intends on sharing.
