UAE Pushes for US$68,000 Fine for Swearing on Phone Messages

A recently introduced law in the UAE makes it a criminal offence to swear or use abusive language in text messages. Anyone convicted of the offence could face a fine of up to $68,000 (AED250,000) and a prison sentence. Expats will also be deported from the UAE under the cybercrime law. The new law came to light during a Federal Supreme Court hearing after public prosecutor successfully secured the retrial of an Arab man who was fined $816 (AED3,000) after he was convicted of swearing at a colleague in a WhatsApp message. The same laws apply if a resident sends an ‘emoji’ of the middle finger in a text message.