UAE: Up to Dh500,000 fine for misleading online advertisements, promotions

Those who mislead consumers through advertisements and promotions will have to face imprisonment and a fine of up to Dh500,000, the UAE public Prosecution has warned.

Through a video published on its social media accounts, the Public Prosecution noted that, the punishment is as per Article 48 of the Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 on Combatting Rumours and Cybercrimes.

“Imprisonment and a fine of not less than Dh20,000 and not more than Dh500,000, or one of the two, shall be the punishment of any person who, through information networks, Information Technology solutions or online platforms”, commits the crime.

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According to the authority, the punitive measure is also applicable to anybody promoting goods or services through misleading advertisement or using false data.

The law also covers “advertising, promoting, brokering, or dealing in any form, or encouraging the dealing in a virtual or digital currency, a stored value unit, or any unit of payment that is not officially recognised in the UAE or without obtaining a licence from the competent authority”.

These posts are part of the Public Prosecution's continuous efforts to promote legal culture among members of the community and increase their awareness about the latest legislations in the country.

• UAE