The UAE’s Federal Prosecution for Combating Rumours and Cybercrimes has issued a pointed warning to social media users, urging them to treat the sharing of information as a legal and ethical obligation rather than a casual act.
Attorney General Khalid Al Madhani, who heads the federal prosecution body, made clear that circulating unverified content — particularly material that contradicts official statements — carries criminal consequences under UAE law. “Information is a responsibility… and spreading rumours is a crime,” he said in a Khaleej Times report.
Al Madhani pointed to a pattern of cases where misleading content originated abroad but was falsely presented as having occurred inside the UAE, noting that authorities actively pursue such instances regardless of where the misinformation begins.
Among the specific behaviours flagged as problematic: fabricating information, altering content, and manipulating audio — including the addition of sound effects to change how material is perceived. The prosecution’s stated goal is to steer users toward official sources as their primary and sole reference point.
The warning carries particular weight given the current regional climate. Al Madhani said that periods of instability heighten the urgency of keeping false information from spreading, as the potential for harm to public safety increases significantly during such times.
Adherence to journalistic ethics was also raised as a benchmark not just for media professionals, but for anyone who shares news or updates on social platforms. The attorney general’s remarks were delivered through a Public Prosecution interview intended to build wider public awareness of the legal risks tied to irresponsible posting.
Al Madhani’s office has framed the fight against digital misinformation as a collective responsibility — one that applies equally to individuals, content creators, and media organisations operating in the UAE.
