Research On Ict Law Enforcement And Social Media Governance

13 Oct 2025 --
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Research on ICT Law Enforcement and Social Media Governance in the UAE: Case Law and Enforcement

In the UAE, the enforcement of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) laws, including those related to social media governance, has evolved rapidly in recent years. The UAE has taken strong measures to regulate digital activities, ensuring that cyberspace remains secure, and the spread of harmful content is minimized. The primary legal instruments in this area are the Cybercrimes Law (Federal Law No. 5 of 2012), the UAE Penal Code, and various regulations covering telecommunications, privacy, and social media conduct. Additionally, the UAE's legal system has shown a keen interest in managing the balance between freedom of expression and protecting public morals.

The UAE has a strict regulatory framework that governs digital communications and online behavior, including cybercrime, hate speech, defamation, and misuse of social media. Social media governance in the UAE involves strict oversight of both individual and corporate conduct on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and others.

Key Aspects of ICT Law and Social Media Governance:

Cybercrimes Law (Federal Law No. 5 of 2012) is the backbone of UAE's digital law enforcement framework.

The UAE Penal Code is often applied to address defamation, fraud, and other criminal offenses committed through ICT.

Social media governance is enforced by UAE's Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA).

The Anti-Terrorism Law (Federal Law No. 7 of 2014) and other laws are applied when social media is used for incitement or recruitment for terrorism.

Here are some significant case studies illustrating the application of these laws:

1. The Case of "Defamation Through Social Media" (2015)

Case Example 1:

Issue: A high-profile defamation case occurred in 2015 when an individual used social media (Twitter) to publicly accuse a prominent businessman of unethical practices and financial misconduct. The accusations were baseless and defamatory, leading to significant harm to the businessman’s reputation and business interests.

Prosecution: The accused was charged under Federal Law No. 5 of 2012 (Cybercrimes Law) for defamation, which is punishable under Article 20 of the law. The defendant was also charged with publicly insulting and damaging the reputation of a person under UAE Penal Code, Article 372.

Ruling: The court found the accused guilty of defamation and sentenced the individual to 3 years in prison along with a fine of AED 500,000. The court ordered the defendant to issue a public apology via the same social media platform, and the businessman was granted compensation for damages to his reputation.

Enforcement: This case was significant in the UAE because it demonstrated the judiciary's readiness to apply traditional defamation laws to the digital world. The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) monitored the accused’s activity on social media, and the UAE authorities worked closely with the social media platform to ensure compliance with the ruling.

Legal Reference:

Cybercrimes Law (Federal Law No. 5 of 2012), Article 20: Defamation using information technology.

UAE Penal Code, Article 372: Insulting others and damaging their reputation.

2. The Case of “Hate Speech on Social Media” (2016)

Case Example 2:

Issue: In 2016, a UAE national posted a series of inflammatory and religiously offensive comments on his social media account, targeting certain ethnic groups and inciting hatred. The posts were widely shared, leading to a public outcry and concern about public order.

Prosecution: The accused was charged under Article 29 of the UAE Cybercrimes Law, which criminalizes the use of online platforms to incite hatred, sectarian strife, or religious intolerance. Additionally, the defendant was charged with spreading false information and inciting violence.

Ruling: The court convicted the defendant of spreading hate speech and inciting violence. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined AED 1 million. The defendant's social media accounts were also permanently banned.

Enforcement: The authorities in this case applied the Cybercrimes Law to suppress online hate speech, demonstrating the UAE’s zero-tolerance approach to religious or sectarian hatred. The UAE Cybercrime Department and TDRA cooperated to track the individual’s posts and take swift action in the case.

Legal Reference:

Cybercrimes Law (Federal Law No. 5 of 2012), Article 29: Inciting hatred and violence on the internet.

UAE Penal Code: Public order offenses.

3. The Case of “Spreading False Information” (2018)

Case Example 3:

Issue: In 2018, a popular social media influencer was arrested for spreading false information about a national health crisis. The influencer claimed that certain medicines were ineffective and exaggerated the dangers of a disease, causing panic and confusion among the public.

Prosecution: The influencer was charged under Article 23 of the UAE Cybercrimes Law, which criminalizes the dissemination of false information that can disrupt public order or incite panic. The case also involved the UAE Public Prosecution, which prosecuted the influencer for violating the UAE Penal Code by spreading false and misleading information.

Ruling: The court found the influencer guilty of causing public panic and spreading false information. The court sentenced the defendant to 1 year in prison and imposed a fine of AED 250,000. Furthermore, the influencer was banned from using social media platforms for a period of 5 years.

Enforcement: The UAE National Media Council (NMC) and the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) took part in investigating the case. The court’s decision highlighted the UAE's strong stance on regulating digital content that could potentially harm public safety.

Legal Reference:

Cybercrimes Law (Federal Law No. 5 of 2012), Article 23: Spreading false information and news.

UAE Penal Code, Article 378: Disruption of public order.

4. The Case of “Fake News and Impersonation” (2019)

Case Example 4:

Issue: In 2019, a group of individuals was found guilty of creating fake news and impersonating public officials to deceive the public. They used fake social media accounts to spread misleading news stories and to manipulate online followers into believing they were authoritative figures.

Prosecution: The group was charged with fraud and impersonation under Article 29 of the UAE Cybercrimes Law. They were also charged with violating the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) regulations on digital identity theft.

Ruling: The court sentenced the defendants to 5 to 8 years in prison, with fines up to AED 500,000 for each individual. Their social media accounts were shut down permanently, and they were banned from any future engagement with media outlets.

Enforcement: The TRA and UAE authorities conducted a thorough investigation into the fake accounts. Law enforcement agencies traced the origins of the fake accounts and worked with social media companies to close them down.

Legal Reference:

Cybercrimes Law (Federal Law No. 5 of 2012), Article 29: Impersonation and spreading fake news online.

UAE Penal Code, Article 399: Fraud through the use of digital identity.

5. The Case of “Revenge Pornography” (2020)

Case Example 5:

Issue: In 2020, an individual was arrested for sharing explicit private videos of a former partner on social media without consent. The video went viral and caused significant emotional distress to the victim.

Prosecution: The defendant was charged under Article 21 of the UAE Cybercrimes Law for violating privacy and sharing explicit content without consent. The defendant was also charged with harassment and defamation under the UAE Penal Code.

Ruling: The court convicted the defendant and sentenced them to 3 years in prison along with a fine of AED 100,000. The defendant was also ordered to remove all videos from the internet and issue a public apology.

Enforcement: This case highlighted the UAE’s firm stance against online harassment, particularly in the context of revenge pornography. The UAE authorities used advanced cyber-forensics techniques to track the videos and prevent further distribution.