On a group chat, are you considering making a caustic meme in response to a friend or coworker? Or going to engage in a heated debate with strangers on a social media platform? In that case, you might want to reconsider. You could be fined up to 500,000 dirhams and/or sent to jail for any online comments that contain profanity or are otherwise deemed objectionable.
The UAE Public Prosecution posted a video on Article 43 of the UAE’s cybercrimes law, which punishes cursing and defamation on internet forums, on July 20 through its official social media accounts.
The guideline was established so that people would “avoid any words and phrases of insult and slander as a demonstration of respect towards themselves and the society.”
Swearing encompasses verbal and physical insults that may be directed at a person either directly or indirectly through information networks, an IT system, or other information sources. Networks are connections between two or more IT systems, such as computers, smartphones, email clients, or social networking sites.
People are urged to exercise utmost caution when using language, whether in an internet comment or a private message.
Any digital communication should be carefully examined and governed by the concept of being too cautious. This is due to various factors. First off, Article 43 of the UAE Cybercrime Law, in particular, does not specify what constitutes “insulting” behavior toward others. Instead, the phrasing is exceedingly open-ended and arbitrary, making anything that the recipient of the communication would deem offensive potentially criminal.
Digital communications are also easily and quickly transmissible to a wider audience due to their permanent and non-erasable nature. As a result, the harm could be more severe and quick.
Exercise caution even during private conversations
Also, private communications were not always exempt from the cybercrimes law.
Specifically, Article 43 of the new UAE cybercrime law is applicable to all forms of digital communications. Private Internet communications are included in this. Therefore, there is no legal obligation that the communications be disclosed to others. The only requirements are that the communication is “insulting” in nature to the receiver and that it be sent digitally.
Best practices to follow when communicating online
Legal professionals recommended individuals refrain from swearing on the internet and maintain civil discourse in order to make sure that they did not break any of the Articles of the UAE’s cybercrimes law.
When communicating through social media or other forms of digital communications, people tend to feel and act much more casually and formally. They frequently lack much of a filter and tend to be more informal and emotive.
the recipient’s personal and cultural perspectives, which could make a joke appear insulting. Yamalova counseled social media users to be aware of the language they use and to pause before leaving a comment or sending a message in order to avoid such problems.