Technological advancements have taken over our world by storm. The contemporary technology and advanced concepts of today’s world have enabled millions to grow their connectivity and have different mediums to leverage. These advancements and modern enablement are happening today faster than ever before, and the drawbacks have followed them.
The excessive use of the internet, coupled with modern technology, has enabled people to be involved in several illicit activities, including hacking, cyberbullying, harassment, fraud, etc.
The basic understanding of cyberbullying revolves around targeting or threatening people online, irrespective of their gadgets. This includes targeting, molesting, threatening, scamming, or harassing. From sending text messages to someone, pranking someone’s cell phone, harassing online on social media or gaming platforms, spreading false information about someone, bullying another user, sharing someone’s pictures or videos without their consent, etc.
The effects and outcomes of cyberbullying include increased anxiety and stress, surging mental issues, becoming a victim of depression and distress, and observing low self-esteem. Moreover, the effects of cyberbullying are also highly fatal, leaving a person with long-lasting and unending emotional trauma and pain. So, it is exponentially important to realize how to curb the harmful effects of cyberbullying.
However, when we talk about the UAE and its policies and regulations that the authorities and government are taking, we understand how concerned the regulatory bodies are in the UAE about curbing the damage caused by cyberbullying. Getting assistance from corporate lawyers in Dubai will help you strengthen your case if you’ve been a victim of cyberbullying and want to have the culprits punished.
Understanding Cyberbullying
Using technology in the wrong way leads to the devastating act of cyberbullying. Technology becomes a medium of this abuse through these two ways;
- The first way how technology becomes a powerful medium of cyberbullying is when people are being targeted even when they are not aware of the damage being done.
- The other is when someone deliberately abuses technology to take advantage of and commit acts on others which fall under the banner of cyberbullying.
So, it is essential to learn how cyberbullying is increasing and children, teens, and mature people belonging to all age groups are increasingly becoming victims of cyberbullying.
Is Underage Access to Technology a Concern?
According to legal advocates in Dubai, underage access to technology, gadgets, and social media platforms has increased concerns. There should be an important consideration of a child’s minimum age before they should be granted some access to social media platforms. Despite the guidelines and regulations in place, technology has still enabled children to access almost everything.
In the United Arab Emirates, telecommunications carriers have been authorized and given complete liberty to block digital content which breaches them. Annex 1 of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority’s Internet Access Management Policy is in place to which the telecommunication regulations can refer. If they find a breach, they can block the content for good. This contains blocking all the content that is illegal and offensive to the UAE’s policies. There aren’t any specific age requirements to block this content, anyone can block the content coming from a generic social media website.
Laws & Penalties Regarding Cybercrime in the UAE
The UAE has never taken cybercrime and its happening lightly. With this being in regard, recently, a new law has been issued to tackle the challenges and difficulties arising from the surging cybercrime, false news spreading, and false accusation. The new law has been issued in light of the Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 concerning cybercrime law. The newly implemented law has replaced the previous Federal Decree-Law No. 5 of 2012.
The new law focus on defamation, which is at the core of cybercrime happenings. It is a vicious criminal offense and does not get any severe provisions within the Penal Code of the earlier existing Federal Law no 4 of 1987. An example of this can be taken from Article 138 of the Penal Code, which stipulates that punishment of fine and prison term must be on a person who publishes any means of publicity news, comments, visuals, pertaining to secrets of people’s private or familial lives even if the same is true.
Another cybercrime law concerning the involvement of technology can best be understood through Article 20. It focuses on dealing with slander in the broadest of terms. It says that if cybercrime is a committee with the involvement of technology as prescribed by the Islamic Shariah, this cybercrime involves the insult, contempt, or threat to any third party using any digital or technological stream that will have to bear the consequences. The jail term and fine can be AED 250,000 to AED 500,000.
On the other hand, Article 16 of the cybercrime states that when a perpetrator to action could be considered extortion. This person will be punished for two years and have a fine imposition of AED 250,000 to AED 500,000. They could be punished with either of the two penalties.
Moreover, it was clearly mentioned in the cybercrime law that the act of bullying is to extort money from any party. The one will be considered an offender of this crime and have to bear all the punishments in terms of fines and jail terms.
Rules about Sharing Pictures without Someone’s Consent
If you have taken someone’s picture and are threatening to share it without the person’s consent, there are strict laws that you need to be mindful of. Even if you are in a good relationship with each other and clicked pictures and in bad terms have shared or leaked the pictures, the victim party has an entire right to file a case in light of these laws mentioned below;
- According to Article 17, the cybercrime law prescribes that when a person establishes or operates a gadget or other electronically operated site and shares pornographic materials or related to this will have to bear a severe punishment of a fine not less than AED 250,000 and not exceeding AED 500,000. Furthermore, there are more strict laws and rules regarding this and have their jail term and fine terms.
- Article 18 says that if a juvenile shares pornographic material using an electronic information system or any other tool that is connected with the government and authorized will be imprisoned for at least six months and have to pay a fine sum of AED 150,000 to AED 100,000. The jail term and fine will also remain the same for a person younger than eighteen.
The Final Words
After reading this article, it becomes clear that the controlling authorities in the UAE have strictly imposed laws and actions on cybercrimes and cyberbullying cases. The laws and regulations are in place because the internet has many content types, and technology enables our world to become part of these cyberbullying activities. Hence, laws concerning them will help control people from indulging in cyberbullying and ensure the safety of others.
Practice Areas
- Commercial
- Corporate
- Dispute Resolution & Litigation
- Banking & Finance
- Insurance & Securitization
- Real Estate & Construction
- Technology & Data Protection
Mai Alfalasi Advocates & Legal Consultancy
1203, Green Tower
Baniyas Street, Deira
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Phone. +971 4 223 0666
Whatsapp. +971 50 208 9986
Email. info@maaflegal.ae
Office Hours
9.00am to 6.00pm (GST)
Monday to Friday