The UAE is tightening its grip on digital advertising by requiring anyone posting promotional content—whether paid or unpaid—to obtain a government-issued permit.
Under the new regulation announced by the UAE Media Council, individuals who promote products, services, or brands on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat must secure an “advertiser permit” within three months. This includes influencers, content creators, and even those giving informal shoutouts or sharing discount codes.
Even unpaid content—such as supporting a friend’s business or casually endorsing a brand—is now considered advertising and subject to regulation. The rule aims to bring greater transparency and professionalism to the fast-growing content economy in the UAE.
The permit will be free for the first three years. Once acquired, content creators must display their license number clearly on their accounts. Additionally, permit holders cannot host paid ads on behalf of other individuals or entities using their own accounts.
There are exemptions: individuals promoting their own company or products on personal pages do not need a permit. Minors under 18 are also excluded, as long as their content is educational, cultural, sports-related, or aimed at raising awareness.
Visitor permits will be made available for a three-month period, but these must be processed through a licensed agency.
This new policy builds on earlier efforts to regulate influencer activity. In 2018, the UAE began requiring licenses for online influencers, and earlier this year, Abu Dhabi enforced a similar rule that penalized non-compliant creators with fines of up to AED 10,000.
