REGULATORY · COMPETITIVE · MIDDLE EAST
Abu Dhabi police arrest 109 people
Change
Abu Dhabi Police arrested 109 individuals for filming sites and incidents and circulating incorrect or misleading information on social media during the West Asia war.
Why it matters
Abu Dhabi Police detained 109 people of various nationalities for filming sites and incidents and circulating incorrect information via social media during current wartime events. Authorities characterized some posts as misleading and said such actions are liable to incite public opinion and spread rumours. The UAE attorney-general ordered arrests of 35 people for publishing misinformation, filming or publishing footage related to the war, or glorifying a hostile state and its political and military leadership. Qatar authorities have arrested more than 300 people for sharing images and what they described as misleading information during the war.
Implications
- · Deterrent effect on individuals' willingness to film or share wartime incidents in Abu Dhabi.
- · Operational constraints on journalists and independent videographers collecting and publishing on-the-ground footage.
- · Heightened enforcement and prosecutorial activity targeting wartime-related social-media posts and footage.
Who is affected
- · Content creators and social-media users
- · Journalists and independent videographers
- · Prosecutors and law enforcement
Source
Topics
Law & Public Safety Regulatory Actions Criminal Justice Technology & Innovation Social Media